Exploring your CPD initiative:
what happens and why?
Doing research together: what are the
potentials and limitations of professional
development programmes?
Summer Residential
June 2008
What we will do in this session
Explore the use of a theoretical framework to make sense of complex
phenomena
Find out what it can offer us as ‘providers’ and ‘clients’ of CPD
Co-construct meaning of what interrelated factors of effective CPD are
Affordances
The term ‘affordance’
How we are using it:
based on the work of Gibson1
‘an action possibility available in the environment to an
individual, independent of the individual’s ability to perceive
this possibility’2
1 Gibson,
J.J. (1979) The Ecologoical Approach to Visual Perception Boston: Houghton Mifflin
McGrenere, J and Ho, W (2000) Affordances: Clarifying and Evolving a Concept Proceedings of Graphic
Interface 2000, Montreal
2
Doing research together: what are the possibilities and restrictions of professional development structures
From objects to systems
Introducing Greeno
Affordances
‘Qualities of systems that can
support interactions and
therefore present possible
interactions for an individual to
participate in’3
3 Greeno,
J and MMAP(1998) The Situativity of knowing, learning and Research American Psychologist 55(1)
From a word to a framework
Affordances
Constraints
‘Activity in any domain involves
the use of resources and
compliance with regularities
that enable and limit actions…’4
Attunement
4 Greeno,
‘Qualities of systems that can
support interactions and
therefore present possible
interactions for an individual to
participate in’5
The perception of affordances:
‘whatever it is about the agent
that contributes to the kind of
interaction that occurs’4
J (1994) Some Further Observations of the Environment/Model Metaphor, Journal for Research in Mathematics
Education 25(1)
5 Greeno, J and MMAP(1998) The Situativity of knowing, learning and Research American Psychologist 55(1)
Thinking about CPD
Constraints
If the following took place DURING the CPD sessions,
please indicate how useful they were.
Making posters/displays
Listening
Sharing knowledge
Very useful
Useful
Not very useful
Not useful
Mind mapping
Brainstorming
Discussing student work from
classroom
Listening to a presentation
from another participant
Presenting to group
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Percent
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Thinking about CPD
Constraints
DURING the CPD sessions, please
following
you used any of the
WHATIf RESOURCES
DO
YOU USE?
indicate how useful they were.
Television
Percent
40%
20%
0%
Video
Scholarly
teaching
Reflecting on articles
Books
Doing mathematics
Curricular
resources
to students' thinking
Attending
Mathematics
software
and/or reasoning
(e.g. dynamic geometry)
OtherSelecting
newresources
technologies
StudentsΥ
work
Planning teaching
Poli cy documents
tasks
Designing
Practical
equipment
(e.g. Cuisenaire Rods)
Creating resources
60%
80%
100%
Very useful
Useful
Not very useful
Not useful
Thinking about CPD
Affordances
Experiencing:
Learning:
New ways of teaching mathematics
About using resources or curriculum materials
Knowledge in specific areas of mathematics
How to use new technology in the classroom
About updates on current developments such as
curricular change or new examination
specifications
That I am doing things correctly
About assessment methods/procedures
About classroom management skills
Comparing methods and share tips with other
teachers
Developing resources e.g. worksheets,
equipment
Becoming part of a community or network of
learners
Doing some of my own research
Getting some time away from the classroom
(non-contact time)
Doing research together: what are the possibilities and restrictions of professional development structures
Thinking about CPD
Affordances
If the following has taken place in your classroom AS A RESULT of
the CPD, how useful were they?
Using different resources in
the classroom (e.g.
software, Cuisiniere rods )
Researching your own
practice
Very useful
Useful
Not very useful
Not useful
Teaching with colleagues
Interviewing students
Experimenting in
classroom
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Percent
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Thinking about CPD
Affordances
Doing research together: what are the possibilities and restrictions of professional development structures
Thinking about your CPD
Constraints
• The rules
• The norms of behaviour
• The language
• The resources
Attunement?
Affordances
• Possibilities
• Limitations
Thinking
about
your CPD
Andrea and Esme and James
Duncan White, Katie and Mark Dawes
Lorraine, Pete, Jenny Maraspin
Nick and Mark Richards
Bridget, Louise and Philippa
Lynda Fletcher, Laranya and Tom
Describe
Group your CPD inRob
terms
constraints. Think about structures,
andof
Frank
processes
discussion:
and outcomes.
Jemma, Sarah, Lynda Maple, Mundher
Diana and Becki
Caroline,
Catherine
and Maria
What are the affordances
of these
constraints?
Duncan Griffiths and Olga
Philomena and Sam
How do you as an individual attune to the affordances? What factors
encourage you to take full advantage of the affordances?
Use a sheet of A3, divide into three columns and put headings:
Constraints, Affordances and Attunements. Fill in the columns.