The Content and Evolution of Practical Theories of Teaching: Experiences of Professionally Unqualified Teachers in Rural Zimbabwe Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study set out to understand practical theories of six professionally unqualified practicing teachers (PUPTs) who were enrolled in a school-based Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) program offered by one Zimbabwean university. PUPTs in this study are university graduates, practicing as teachers and experienced, but without a professional teaching qualification, hence professionally unqualified (Mukeredzi, 2009). Participants are described as PUPTs as opposed to trainees/student teachers to distinguish them from traditional preservice teachers as they were already practicing as full-time teachers; had at least 4 years teaching experience; were university graduates without professional teaching qualifications; and were studying in-situ to become professionally qualified. These PUPTs were teaching in rural secondary schools while studying part-time to become professionally qualified. Through core educational and professional studies modules in the program, they had been exposed to the language of teaching/learning, and this was the lens through which their practical theories of teaching were viewed. The article, thus, investigates how the participating PUPTs professionally learnt and modified their practical theories of teaching in rural secondary schools in Zimbabwe. AbstractPractical theories of teaching are critical for teacher effectiveness as they provide basis for their actions and choices of pedagogies, learner activities, and curriculum materials. This study explored the content of professionally unqualified practicing teachers' practical theories and the changes that occurred as they progressed through a school-based Postgraduate Diploma in Education program. Drawing on concepts around practical theories, qualitative data generated through interviews and photo elicitation from six professionally unqualified teachers in rural Zimbabwe secondary schools were inductively analyzed. Findings indicate that content of the teachers' practical theories gradually evolved and developed as they progressed through three stages in the program: (a) Survival or "self-concerns" where content was composed of mediocre pedagogy-relationship focus, lesson preparation and delivery, and classroom management; (b) "task-concerns," where content constituted effective performance of teaching tasks portrayed by thorough lesson preparation, learner-centered pedagogies, student assessment, lesson evaluation, collaboration, creating conducive teaching/learning environments, and teacher enthusiasm; (c) "pupil and teacher learning concerns" with content encompassing identification and handling of student diversity, student engagement, moving students from known to unknown, self-evaluation, reflection, and research. Data further indicate individualistic and dynamic nature of practical theories through the nonuniform elements of fully developed theories after completing the program. This article illustrates that emersion in practice can promote professionally unqualified teachers' understandings of and attendance to underlying pr...

A Review of Using Photo-Elicitation Interviews in Qualitative Education Research

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Photographic Elicitation and Narration in Teachers Education and Development

“…Teacher training and professional development programmes have been developed with a view to incorporating new approaches and teaching procedures in subjects such as geography, science, mathematics or physical education, and also in undergraduate degrees in engineering and in early education. Likewise, in training in rural schools, outside the teacher training institution (Hunter, 2016(Hunter, , 2017Mukeredzi, 2016;Murakami et al, 2018;Parker et al, 2016;Pears et al, 2008;Ring, 2017;Ring-Whalen et al, 2018;Ruiz, 2017).…”

Disquiet Voices Foretelling Hope: Rural Teachers’ Resilience Experiences of Past and Present Chronic Adversity

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