Rich Exchanges
Learning and Teaching Conference 2015
Group Work and Team Based Learning
A discourse on working
collaboratively…are the benefits
constructive or destructive…?
Sarah Elsey & Primary PGCE Students.
Context….
o 15 trainees (2 male / 13 trainees)
o Started Teaching Training Course (Feb 2015)
o Possible ‘Employment’ start date
o Course Design
o Applications were strong with the idealism ..’wanted to teach’ ‘ enjoyed
teaching’…’being with the children’… the desire to be a teacher was
reinforced with extensive school experience.
(Start of Stage 1, Furlong & Maynard, 1995)
•
•
•
•
•
STAGE
STAGE
STAGE
STAGE
STAGE
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
EARLY IDEALISM
PERSONAL SURVIVAL
DEALING WITH DIFFICULTIES
HITTING A PLATEAU
MOVING ON
Stages of Student Development ( Furlong & Maynard, 1995)
Centre –Based Course Work
Assignments (incl. 60 credits
towards Masters)
Meet Teacher Standards
& provide evidence for…
(DfE, 2012)
Complete 120 days in School
(NCTL) Ongoing assessments.
Qualified
Teacher
Status
New learning environments /
Networking with 14 others for 2015
/ Online / Tutors
This showcase has emerged from previous research that
endeavoured to examine how a group of student teachers who had
started their training in February perceive a range of common
factors that highlight the influences on their self and professional
efficacies.
Student Perspectives on PGCE Primary Course (Feb – Dec).
So why Q Methodology…?
• Interested and curious about the method…process….
• Solves problems… through this method possible solutions are
generated to a specific problem.
• Q Methodology is a set of connected techniques designed to
enable the study of ‘subjectivity’ ( views, opinions, beliefs, values,
tastes)
• Due to different meanings of terminology used in concourse…
different disciplines will provide different responses and these
differences are highlighted in the results.
Q sort analysis…
•
Determining the similarities between respondents through the Q sort
•
Looking for patterns….contrasting and comparative (Pre Attachment & Post
Attachment)
•
Aim to describe and identify that subjectivity… themes emerge from that Q sort…
•
Outcome… a rich descriptions of the way ‘trainees ‘ think and feel about a topic.
•
Findings and Discussion…
Influential elements contributing towards students’ self and professional efficacies.
Two Themes emerged from the Two factors….
Factor One ~ Perceptions of the outside world looking in.
(Communities of Practice)
Key drivers
Community Learning / work Ethics / Prior Knowledge & Understanding / Attitude towards
and within the Community / Tacit Knowledge.
Factor Two ~ Experiential Learning / Experience as a Learner (Self
Efficiacy)
Key drivers
Reflective Practice / Attitude / Feeling empowered / Being Organised
Resilient / THE INDIVIDUAL
Factor 1 ~ Communities of Practice
Social Group
Synchronous
– regular face
to face.
Asynchronous
–
Facebook /
Email / SMS
/ WhatsApp
Internet – Forums
/ Information
Centre Based
Support
Lectures
Learning
Centre
School
Community
MENTORING AND STAGES OF STUDENT LEARNING. ... (1995) have described the mentor as a
“critical friend” during this crucial stage of a student teacher’s development.
Furlong, J., & Maynard, T. (1995). Mentoring student teachers: The growth of professional knowledge.
Psychology Press
Factor One – Key Drivers ‘Community of Practice’ : (Community of Practice /
Work Ethics / Tacit Knowledge)
Q sort card description
Trainees’
responses (Top responses)
5 The size of our
learning community is
key to the success of
my learning.
T6: The close knit of the community.
T12: I learn better in smaller groups that are supportive
where we share our ideas and sense of belonging.
4 Peers support me
with my confidence.
T4: I can relate to my peers as they are going through the
same experiences. Supporting each other raises my
confidence.
T5: the people n this group and how close we are has really
improved my confidence. I feel comfortable speaking with
them and in front of them.
T12; I thrive of interaction with others.
Communities of Practice (CoP)
o Some CoPs are small; some are large.
o Key points to consider (Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder,
2002:
o A critical mass is needed to sustain interactions and
provide multiple perspectives.
o Groups that are too large can inhibit direct
interactions among participants.
o < 15 = intimate.
o 15 – 50 = functional.
o 50 = subgroups based on topics or geography.
Challenges of Communities of Practice
Shifting our perspective: Moving from the idea that
mastery resides with the experts to mastery residing
within the members of a CoP (Lave & Wenger, 1991).
Making a longer-term commitment to a form of openended professional development (Buysee, Sparkman &
Wesley, 2003).
Sustaining the CoP over time.
Constructive or Destructive??
Communities of Practice.
A discourse on working
collaboratively…are the benefits
constructive or destructive…?
What works well? / What Better If?
Considerations….
•
Transition to ‘Learner- Centre Teaching’
•
Whole session are useful but Trainee-led / bespoke Modules are more
powerful. (Retention / Engagement)
•
Facilitate and integrate effective discussion is journey not a process
•
Needs consideration for current pedagogy in HEI
•
Consider designing courses to support the traditional conventions of
Teacher Training….(Sept start date)
FUTURE…..
• Themes emerging… further mini research projects… Journey into the
trainees’ NQT year.
References
Buysse, V., Sparkman, K. L., & Wesley, P. W. (2003).
Communities of practice: Connecting what we know with what
we do. Exceptional children, 69(3), 263-277.
Furlong, J., & Maynard, T. (1995). Mentoring student teachers:
The growth of professional knowledge. Psychology Press.
Maynard, T. (2001). The student teacher and the school
community of practice: A consideration of‘ learning as
participation'. Cambridge Journal of Education, 31(1), 39-52.
Wenger, E., McDermott, R. A., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating
communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge.
Harvard Business Press.
Wenger, E. (2001). Supporting communities of practice. A
survey of community-oriented technologies.
Thank you for your time