Cultures of professional collaboration: their origins and opponents

Abstract

Purpose This Commentary is a review and critique of arguments that oppose the desirability and impact of professional collaboration in education. The purpose of this paper is to analyze two recent high-profile reviews of professional development and collaboration. The analysis is informed by a historical typology of five phases of professional collaboration in theory and practice. Design/methodology/approach The Commentary reviews and summarizes selected key texts that represent different phases in the development of advocacy for and research concerning the emergence of professional collaboration. It then critiques the methodology, findings, and recommendations of two key critiques of professional collaboration and development that have been widely disseminated for educators and policymakers. Findings Contrary to the views of its opponents, professional collaboration as a whole has a record of indirect, long term, yet clear and positive effects on teachers and students. Particular kinds of professional collaboration can vary a great deal in quality and impact, however. Short-term collaborative interventions, such as data teams, are often dependent for their success on the prior existence of deeper cultures and processes. These processes and cultures characterize high-performing systems globally. Advocacy for competitive alternatives is based on insufficient evidence. Originality/value Although advocacy for more competition in public school systems is common, high-profile critiques of professional collaboration are relatively new. This paper engages with these critiques from a broader historical perspective, and finds they have serious flaws of reasoning and methodology. Thus far, the critiques provide insufficient warrant for moves toward more competitive systems of schooling and teaching.

The Impact of E-Training Model on the Improvement of Professional Competence of PAUD-DIKMAS Educators

“…Training have an impact on work productivity [17,18]. Other findings suggest that training that is designed to the maximum can increase participants' work motivation after training [19,20]. [19,20] revealing that the effectiveness of training has a significant influence on the working improvement motivation, with e-training, the more motivation increases the training effectiveness will also increase.…”

“…Other findings suggest that training that is designed to the maximum can increase participants' work motivation after training [19,20]. [19,20] revealing that the effectiveness of training has a significant influence on the working improvement motivation, with e-training, the more motivation increases the training effectiveness will also increase. Meanwhile, Ramayah, Ahmad, and Hong [9] stated that E-Training has an effect on cost effectiveness, flexibility, comfort, and work motivation.…”

Pwysigrwydd y cyd‐destun: ymreolaeth a diwygio’r cwricwlwm mewn ysgolion gwledig

“…Mae tystiolaeth bod athrawon yn debygol o aros yn yr ardal lle cawsant eu swydd addysgu gyntaf (Barter, 2008; Fowles et al , 2014) felly, o safbwynt yr ysgol, mae ansawdd y penodiadau cyntaf yn bwysig, fel y mae ansawdd y dysgu proffesiynol ar ôl hynny. Mae arolygon o ddysgu proffesiynol mewn systemau uchel eu perfformiad yn rhoi pwys ar y lle sydd gan ddysgu cydweithredol ac ymreolaeth ysgol yn y diwylliant cyffredinol ac yn effeithlonrwydd athrawon (Butler et al , 2015; Black et al , 2016; Fullan a Hargreaves, 2016; Hargreaves a O’Connor, 2017).…”

“…Yn rhan o’r broses datblygu, roedd Athrawon Arloesi Arweiniol wedi mynychu cyfarfodydd yn rheolaidd y tu allan i’r ysgol ac roeddent yn gwerthfawrogi’r cyfle hwn (Barley a Beesley, 2007; Butler et al , 2015; Black et al , 2016; Fullan a Hargreaves, 2016; Hargreaves ac O’Connor, 2017), ar gyfer eu datblygiad eu hunain ac er budd yr ysgol:

Cael y cyfle i dreialu pethau yn eich ysgol eich hun, arloesi ar ddatblygu’r cwricwlwm a gallu mynd â’r maen i’r wal. [Mr Morton]

…”

The significance of context: autonomy and curriculum reform in rural schools

“…There is evidence that teachers are likely to stay in the area where they have their first teaching post (Barter, ; Fowles et al ., ) so from a school's perspective, the quality of first appointments is important, as is the quality of subsequent professional learning. Surveys of professional learning in high‐performing systems emphasise the importance of collaborative learning and school autonomy to the culture as a whole and to teachers' efficacy (Butler et al ., ; Black et al ., ; Fullan & Hargreaves, ; Hargreaves & O'Connor, ).…”