Triad dynamics: investigating social forces, roles, and storylines

Abstract

This is a phenomenological study of the relationships between university supervisors, in-service and pre-service teachers (triads). Two triads participated in a joint pre-service and in-service professional development project. Multiple indepth interviews were completed with each triad member to better record and resolve the varied experiences of the participants. Through using positioning theory as a lens for interpreting data, triad dynamics were explicated to understand relationships within these groups and the factors surrounding these relationships. The following are the key research findings: (1) when triads were engaged in projects that promoted participants' synthesis of products as they enlist what they are learning, collaborative positioning occurred; (2) adequate time for interactions led to another influential social force: the establishment of trust and relationships; and (3) uncertainty in expectations can act as an inhibitive social force for collaborations.

O papel do professor cooperante no contexto da formação de professores de Educação Física: A perspetiva dos professores cooperantes

“…Clarke et al (2014) salientam a importância de se manter uma relação estreita entre estas duas entidades, a faculdade e a escola e, especialmente, entre os seus protagonistas, OF e PC. Outros estudos colocam ênfase na relação que se estabelece entre os elementos da tríade PC -EE -OF (Bradbury & Koballa Jr, 2008;Bullough & Draper, 2004;Campbell, Lott, & Campbell, 2010;Graham, 2006), dando conta da influência desta relação sobre a aprendizagem e o desenvolvimento profissional do EE e, em especial, da importância de manter um diálogo aberto e uma comunicação regular e frutífera durante o processo de estágio. Beck e Kosnik (2002) defendem que a faculdade, em geral, e o OF, em particular, se devem envolver, apoiando o PC no acompanhamento do processo de estágio na escola.…”

Complete Issue

“…Otherwise, as stated by Lesain-Delabarre (1998), the equality or inequality of each person's contributions is more or less defined by the specific context of the relationship and by the pursuit of different objectives even while seeking common goals. Other authors (Campbell & Lott, 2010;Gervais, 2008;Ferrier-Kerr, 2009) claim that the status of individuals in interaction does not determine the quality of their collaboration. Even if the Brock Education Journal, 26(1), 2016 collaborative dialogue is materialized more readily in an egalitarian context, a professional relationship characterized by collaboration is also possible in an asymmetric professional relationship (Portelance, 2011).…”

“…In the same vein, Van Zee, Lay & Roberts (2003) found that the role of the cooperating teacher within the triad is secondary. Nevertheless, according to the findings of Campbell & Lott (2010), despite the constraints of an apparent lack of parity, it is possible to create within the triad an environment of collaboration that promotes professional development. Similar claims by Ofstedal & Dahlberg (2009) indicate that communication skills are a valuable resource.…”

“…Others have focused on the relationships between the triad composed of the student teacher and two trainers (Meegan, Dunning, Belton & Woods, 2013;Veal & Rickard, 1998) and their impacts (Kauffman, 1992). Some work focuses on the role of trainers and students teachers (Allen, Ambrosetti & Turner, 2013;Correa Molina, 2006;Campbell & Lott, 2010;Wong, 2011) and emphasizes the need for harmonization between the interventions of cooperating teachers and university supervisors (Couchara, 1997;Gervais & Desrosiers, 2005).…”

“…Researchers have already explored the relationships between cooperating teacher and supervisor (Borko & Mayfield, 1995;Campbell & Lott, 2010) and student teacher (Sudzina & Coolican, 1994), and how they affect student-teacher training (Johnson & Napper-Owen, 2011;Tung, 2000). Others have focused on the relationships between the triad composed of the student teacher and two trainers (Meegan, Dunning, Belton & Woods, 2013;Veal & Rickard, 1998) and their impacts (Kauffman, 1992).…”