Learning from dilemmas: teacher professional development through collaborative action and reflection

Abstract

This article aims at describing and analysing the interpersonal and intrapersonal dilemmas experienced by a group of five university teachers as they engaged in collaborative inquiry, including the ways in which teachers managed these dilemmas and how this contributed to their professional development. The results are based on qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews, working sessions, participant observation and teacher narratives. Our findings illustrate how interpersonal and intrapersonal dilemmas co-occur when teachers engage in collaborative inquiry. Working together towards shared goals brought to the surface differences in beliefs and expectations that generated conflict and tension, which sometimes interfered with teachers’ willingness to work together. At the same time, introducing changes to their teaching practice – a major goal of inquiry communities – challenged teachers to question and revise their personal beliefs about teaching and learning, thereby triggering intrapersonal dilemmas. Our findings also confirm the key role of critical reflection for bringing these dilemmas to the surface and benefiting from the opportunities they provide for learning and change. Areas that warrant further exploration to better understand the dilemmas within inquiry communities and how to support teachers in handling them are discussed

Teachers´ Practices and Mental Models: Transformation Through Reflection on Action

“…In this sense, our findings are in line with the studies that have reported that reflection-on-action develops teachers´ awareness (Schussler, Stooksberry & Bercaw, 2010), that it triggers transformations of teachers´ beliefs and points of view, as well as teacher´s instruction (Dixon & Wilke, 2007;Freedman, Bullock & Duque, 2005;Kabilan, 2007;Kang, 2007;Kucan, 2007;Manrique & Borzone, 2012;Manrique, 2013;Pareja Roblin & Margalef, 2013;Schussler, 2006;Schussler, Stooksberry & Bercaw, 2010). Our findings also show the power of video analysis, that can enable teachers a unique opportunity to review and reflect on their positioning and it can foster changes in practices (Bower, Cavanagh, Moloney & Dao, 2011;Charteris & Smardon, 2013;Danielowich, 2014;Henessya & Deaneya, 2009;Kersting, Givvin, Sotelo & Stigler, 2010;Santagata & Angelici, 2010).…”

“…It affects teachers´ awareness of their beliefs, culture and values. Reflection can be fostered and scaffolded by different means; for example, viewing oneself on video (Kersting, Givvin, Sotelo, & Stigler, 2010;Kucan, 2007;Santagata & Angelici, 2010); or by inter-subjective exchange, dialogue and group discussions (Pareja Roblin & Margalef, 2013). These resources can help create the necessary distance from experience required by the reflection processes (Perrenoud, 2001).…”

“…Numerous studies have reported that the process of reflection-on-action can play a vital role in fostering transformations of teachers´ beliefs, points of view, knowledge and strategies (Dixon & Wilke, 2007;Eilam & Poyas, 2009;Freedman, Bullock & Duque, 2005;Kabilan, 2007;Kang, 2007;Kucan, 2007;Manrique & Borzone, 2012;Pareja Roblin & Margalef, 2013;Schussler, 2006;Schussler, Stooksberry & Bercaw, 2010). For instance, Schussler, Stooksberry and Bercaw´s analysis of teachers´ dispositions in 35 teaching journals in U.S.A shows that those teachers who possessed the greatest awareness of their dispositions also showed a propensity to unpack their assumptions, adopting multiple perspectives, questioning the how and why of their thinking and actions and balancing the focus on students and the focus on the self.…”

“…Based on the results of the studies just mentioned (Dixon & Wilke, 2007;Eilam & Poyas, 2009;Freedman, Bullock & Duque, 2005;Henessya & Deaneya, 2009;Kabilan, 2007;Kang, 2007;Kersting, Givvin, Sotelo & Stigler, 2010;Kucan, 2007;Pareja Roblin & Margalef, 2013;Santagata & Angelici, 2010) the T.E. course was based on a process of reflection-on-action, achieved through a clinical study of the activity (Clot, 2006), that entailed each teacher individually viewing and analysing a filmed recording of his or her practice.…”

Reflection-for-action and the choice or design of examples in the teaching of mathematics

“…Lo 2012;Marton 2015;Marton and Tsui 2004;Runesson 2006) guided the analyses of the benefits of reflection-foraction. Reflection can be encouraged by having teachers view themselves on video (Kersting et al 2010;Kucan 2007;Santagata and Angelici 2010) or through group discussions (Pareja Roblin and Margalef 2013). This study used an iterative process in which a lesson is built on the previous lesson, which encourages reflection.…”