Effective professional learning communities? The possibilities for teachers as agents of change in schools

The concept of the professional learning community (PLC) has been embraced widely in schools as a means for teachers to engage in professional development leading to enhanced pupil learning. However, the term has become so ubiquitous it is in danger of losing all meaning, or worse, of reifying ‘teacher learning’ within a narrowly defined ambit which loses sight of the essentially contestable concepts which underpin it. The primary aim of this paper is therefore to (re‐)examine the assumptions underpinning the PLC as a vehicle for teacher led change in schools in order to confront and unsettle a complacent and potentially damaging empirical consensus around teacher learning. This paper examines the characteristics and attributes of the ‘effective’ professional learning community as identified in the literature, drawing out the tensions and contradictions embodied in the terms professional, learning and community. The paper considers the implications of this analysis for practice, and concludes by offering some insights into the nature of ‘school improvement’, and the role of PLCs in realizing this.     

The role of social capital in students’ perceptions of progress in higher education

This paper aims to analyse the effects of students’ social relationships at university on students’ success. Specifically, whether a student with heterogeneous relationships obtains better academic results than a student whose relationships are mostly with classmates. Further, the research examines whether students’ social relationships make up for their parents’ lack of human capital. A survey was answered by a sample of 867 students from universities in the metropolitan region of Barcelona. The findings suggest that the effects of social relationships are not always positive. The benefits of social networks at university interact with the type of degree studied, the student’s dedication to studies, and the student’s social class. Perceptions of progress for each category of students is different: It is more positive for those with frequent heterogeneous relations, who do not work or do so for a few hours, and for those who are enrolled in “hard” science courses.     

The social functions of teachers’ beliefs in an online class

This study presents an investigation of teachers’ beliefs about working with English learners, as constructed in online class discussions. Using conversation and discourse analysis from a discursive psychology (DP) perspective, analysis focuses on the discursive production of beliefs and the social actions achieved by this production in interaction. By orienting to teachers’ beliefs as interactionally emergent phenomena, findings highlight the ways that teachers account for their belief claims and the ways that teachers’ statements of belief work to perform certain social functions within the forum itself, including affiliation and disagreement. Implications for teacher education and for the potential of DP to contribute to research on teachers’ beliefs are discussed.     

Unravelling the social dynamics of an industry–school partnership: social capital as perspective for co-creation

Increasingly, innovative collaboration between industry and schools is being exploited as a way of improving the quality and relevance of education. Even though these innovations appear to have substantial benefits, often the impact proves to fade away after their implementation. A better understanding of how to sustain complex innovations seems important. Unfortunately, only a limited amount of research investigates the ‘inside’ of complex innovations. This article reports on a three-year, large-scale industry–school programme in the Dutch Leisure sector. The research, from start to finish, adopted a qualitative case study methodology with a mixed-methods approach, drawing upon social capital theory as lens to understand the dynamics of processes and effect on outcomes. Findings indicate that the social capital theory helps to unravel crucial factors of processes and outcomes. The researched innovation process depended not so much on formal project plans and objectives but largely built on the quality of social relationships at all levels. Sustaining this social capital proved crucial, while managing according to a planned change strategy appeared to be counterproductive. The outcomes show to be twofold, in terms of new knowledge and products for the organisations and of sustainable benefits for the professionals, in terms of new abilities.     

The role of social identification as university student in learning: relationships between students’ social identity,approaches to learning,and academic achievement

This article describes research exploring the relationship between students’ self-perceptions in the context of university learning (i.e. student social identity), their approaches to learning, and academic achievement. The exploration of these inter-related aspects requires a mix of theoretical approaches, that is, in this research both social identity perspective from social psychology and the student learning research framework are used to explore student identity and learning in the context of higher education. Two structural equation models drawing on both these theoretical frameworks were tested. In the first of these models, deep approaches to learning are positively associated with students’ social identification as university student and positively predict academic achievement. In the second model, surface approaches to learning are negatively associated with students’ social identification and negatively predict academic achievement. The mediational roles of deep and surface approaches to learning in the relationship between student social identity and academic achievement are also explored.     

Reflection in a social space: Can blogging support reflective practice for beginning teachers?

This study reports on an investigation on the use of electronic journals to support beginning teachers in developing reflection on teaching within peer support networks. The study takes place within the context of the ongoing Pilot Project on Teacher Induction in post-primary schools in Ireland. A pilot study using web logs (blogs) was initiated with newly qualified teachers (NQTs). Mixed methods were used to investigate participants' use of an electronic personal reflective diary. Results show little evidence of the development of a more reflective approach attributable to the maintenance of a blog. However review of earlier postings led to some reflective personal and group dialogue. The findings of this study are of interest in that they provide indicators that concern the broader area of collaboration within professional development.     

The role of values in pre-service teachers’ intentions for professional engagement

This study investigated inclusion of epistemic value into Richardson and Watt Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) framework to produce a more robust, useful teacher motivation model. We specifically examined pre-service teachers’ social utility value (SUV), personal utility value (PUV) and epistemic value regarding pursuing future professional engagement and development. Using principal axis factoring, we found four main factors: PUV, SUV, epistemic value—future value of knowledge (EVF) and persistence/satisfaction. These factors were then used in a structural equation model (SEM) to predict pre-service teachers’ intentions to pursue future professional engagement. Results provided the following three insights: (a) SUV was the most consistent, positive predictor of professional engagement and predicted all dependent variables; (b) EVF was a newly identified factor and a positive predictor of pre-service teachers’ desire to pursue a leadership position and (c) PUV negatively predicted planned effort and a desire to pursue a leadership position.     

Does a formal wiki event contribute to the formation of a network of practice? A social capital perspective on the potential for informal learning

Informal learning in blended and online settings plays an increasingly important role in the continuous professional development of individuals. Yet, how do individuals engage into these types of activities? We argue that social capital theory can provide valuable insights into how people behave and decide to take part in (in)formal learning. Using social network analysis, we provide empirical evidence on an informal learning activity, where participants collaboratively created knowledge on wiki sites on a predefined set of topics. Our results show that there are three types of active participants in these types of informal learning activities, namely leaders, collaborators and lone editors. These findings provide valuable insights for other, similar activities that aim at enhancing the professional development of individuals.     

The effect of an historical perspective on prospective teachers’ beliefs in learning mathematics

Many learners hold traditional beliefs about mathematics that can hamper their learning in the discipline. To address this issue, a “history-based” intervention program entailing problem-solving and writing activities that instigate cognitive conflict was implemented. Data sources were pretest and posttest scores of a 12-theme questionnaire designed for this study called “Prospective teachers’ beliefs questionnaire about mathematics learning” and written reflections of prospective teachers. The survey of the prospective teachers beliefs related to the nature of mathematics and the way it is learned, taught, and practiced showed a great majority of them failed to hold progressive beliefs. Fortunately, the intervention program has helped the prospective teachers revise and correct their beliefs, thoughts, and understandings. Study of the prospective teachers’ written reflections and observations of their oral presentations during whole-class discussions strengthen the results of the quantitative study.     

Twitter for teaching: Can social media be used to enhance the process of learning?

Can social media be used to enhance the process of learning by students in higher education? Social media have become widely adopted by students in their personal lives. However, the application of social media to teaching and learning remains to be fully explored. In this study, the use of the social media tool Twitter for teaching was considered. Undergraduate students in Business and Management (n = 252) were encouraged to use Twitter for communicating with their tutor and each other during a 12‐week course. Their involvement was evaluated using a survey considering amount of Twitter usage and students' attitudes and experiences. The data were analysed using factor analyses, which revealed a single usage construct and three attitudinal factors. Three findings emerged. Firstly, a positive correlation was found between amount of Twitter usage and student engagement in university‐associated activities including organising their social lives and sharing information. Secondly, course‐related tweeting was not related to interpersonal relationships between students and their tutor. Thirdly, Twitter usage did not impact class attendance. The results are salient for educational practitioners wishing to introduce social media into their teaching.     

The role of environmental factors in beginning teachers’ professional learning related to differentiated instruction

Little research has investigated factors that facilitate beginning teachers’ participation in professional learning activities related to differentiated instruction (DI). This study examines environmental factors for DI learning activities in a sample of 272 beginning teachers from 72 primary schools. Multilevel analyses show that teacher education, reflective dialogue, deprivatized practice, educational type, and diversity in student population are related to beginning teachers’ use of DI learning activities (i.e., learning in interaction and changes in practice). As such, the findings revealed that beginning teachers’ participation in such activities may depend on a multitude of factors. Several suggestions regarding these factors are made. First, teacher education can provide foundational knowledge of DI applications. Second, schools can enable teachers to have in-depth conversations with colleagues and provide opportunities to observe good teaching practices. Lastly, alternative schools and schools with diverse student populations can inspire other schools to enhance participation in DI learning activities.     

The ‘third age’ perspective: enrichment and informal modes of learning in an outdoor sketching group for older adults

The proposed benefits of participatory arts for older adults continue to attract empirical attention, but how informal group participation aids personal enrichment is not yet fully understood. This qualitative case study of a University of the Third Age ‘outdoor sketching group’ explores the meanings its members attach to art-making in retirement and how this informal context supports their preferred modes of learning. Hermeneutic interviews with six members elicited their personal framings of what it means to pursue sketching. Participant observations of group activities and learning interactions therein afforded insights into how this group meets the needs of its members. The emergent theme from interviews, ‘cultivating dispositions’, represents what they consider to be a central endeavour in retirement. It reflects the judicious selecting and shedding of activities depending on whether they are deemed conducive to personal enrichment. Members hone and nurture dispositions they perceive as befitting the way they wish to pursue art-making. The group’s egalitarian ethos, whereby expertise is distributed among the group rather than attached to an instructor, is valued. Within peer dialogue, ways of enmeshing oneself with certain artistic orientations are exchanged. These serve as one of various communal resources members utilise to cultivate their own desired dispositions.     

Student teachers’ perceptions of their mentors as internal triggers for learning

This study used responses of 20 student teachers to describe the different ways in which student teachers perceive the practice of their mentors as internal triggers for learning in their practicum experiences in the schools. Reported observations from pedagogical journals of student teachers were described according to various kinds of teaching knowledge and skills and were further categorized as providing either support or challenge to student teachers’ perceptions of learning to teach. The student teachers identified support and challenge in each one of the categories of teaching knowledge and skills, thereby supplying evidence for different kinds of emotional and cognitive triggers for learning. Based on the findings, we make some recommendations for supervision of mentoring relationships.     

Can creative podcasting promote deep learning? The use of podcasting for learning content in an undergraduate science unit

This paper examines the effect of a podcasting task on the examination performance of several hundred first‐year chemistry undergraduate students. Educational researchers have established that a deep approach to learning that promotes active understanding of meaning can lead to better student outcomes, higher grades and superior retention of knowledge over time. We attempted to promote such an approach by setting a task that involved student collaboration, contextualisation of content, and communication through new media, specifically creative podcasting. Examination results were used as a source of empirical evidence of changes in understanding and retention that occurred for students who completed this task. In comparing results across 2 years on similar questions related to the podcasting topics, we found a statistically significant improvement after introduction of the podcasting task on the questions related to one of the topics on which students had actively created their own podcasts (“acids & bases”), but not on the other (“oxidisation and reduction”). Improved learning outcomes in the form of better understanding and retention over time in at least one case suggest that under some circumstances creative podcasting may indeed help to promote a deep learning approach.     

The role of emotions in student teachers’ professional identity

This paper presents findings of a qualitative interview study of the role of emotions in the professional identity of student teachers. Strong positive and negative emotions (mostly related to pupils and supervisors) were expressed about personal teaching experiences. The results confirm that emotions play an important role in social learning and, therefore, influence the development of professional identity. The two most important findings were that negative emotions exercised the strongest influence and that supervisors neglected the role of positive emotions as a support for learning. The study supports the concept that it is important for teacher educators to help student teachers understand their emotional experiences (focusing foremost on positive factors in their experience) and to develop the ability to express their own emotions in addition to understanding the emotions of others.     

The role of language and learning models in student-directed CALL

The development of CALL has been accompanied by a debate about which theoretical foundations it should be built upon. This paper will ask what the relationship between CALL and models of language and learning has been, and consider what it should be. Research undertaken using ICT in order to identify issues relevant to second language acquisition (SLA)will be examined, and its implications noted. The application of interactionalist models of SLA will be considered and the contribution that task-based language learning could make to CALL investigated. The concept of "student-directed" CALL is used in order to distinguish the SLA-based interactionalist models proposed from the many CALL approaches based on gap fills, drilling, etc. and from the many tutor-led programmes in areas such as EAP.     

The role of authentic teaching cases and mastery approach goals in online pre-service teachers’ self-regulated learning

Instructional methods in higher education are changing in response to the growing popularity for distance learning courses. Investigating methods of instruction that will assist in the manner that coursework is taught in online courses is therefore a significant enterprise to research. Specifically, examining the relation between theory and practice in programs of teacher education where application is an integral part of the curriculum as well as students’ future career is of utmost importance. Instruction using the case study method enables instructors to involve their students with the realities of teaching using scenarios built around authentic educational dilemmas, where students can problem-solve varying outcomes and generate possible solutions from multiple theoretical viewpoints. Self-regulated learning has been consistently shown to be a fundamental component in the academic success of online learners. Existing research studies on distance learners has specifically shown mastery-approach goals to be predictive of self-regulated learning. This study found significant relationships between the use of authentic case studies in online preservice teaching, self-regulation, and mastery approach goals. Additionally, the results of this study also identified that the relationship between self-regulation and mastery approach goals was strengthened when using case studies that were authentic.

     

Does work pay psychologically as well as economically? The role of employment in predicting depressive symptoms and parenting among low-income families

This longitudinal study examined quantity and quality of maternal employment as predictors of depressive symptoms and parenting style in a sample of 94 low-income mothers whose 4-year-old children were enrolled in Head Start at baseline. Results suggest that answers to the question of whether work "pays" are complex: Findings suggest some benefits of greater employment participation while also indicating that women holding lower prestige jobs experienced increases in their use of negative parenting style, net of baseline demographic and psychological characteristics. Sparse evidence for selection processes was found, with cohabitation and maternal depressive symptoms modestly predictive of subsequent maternal employment. Implications of these findings for welfare reform and educationally related policies for low-income families are discussed.     

The role of pre-service teachers’ perceived instrumentality,goal commitment,and motivation in their self-regulation strategies for learning in teacher education courses

This study investigated the influence of pre-service teachers’ (n = 142) perceived endogenous/exogenous instrumentality, goal commitment, and intrinsic/extrinsic motivation on their use of self-regulation strategies (effort regulation, management of time and study environment) for their teacher-education courses. Data were drawn from a customised survey and were statistically analysed using hierarchical multiple regressions. Results demonstrated that pre-service teachers’ endogenous instrumentality was a significant contributor for explaining their use of self-regulation strategies. To facilitate pre-service teachers’ use of self-regulation strategies for learning, our findings suggest that, in addition to having intrinsic motivation for learning in their teacher-education courses, they need to have appropriate understandings of how their current course content connects to their future goals to be teachers in order to promote their use of strategies for self-regulation and learning.     

Sources of teachers’ self-efficacy for technology integration from formal,informal, and independent professional learning

Educational technology research and development - Teachers do not consistently maximize the potential of classroom technologies for enhancing student learning. As their self-efficacy is positively...