Conference on teachers’ professional development
Using research to inspire practice
Ada Holcar Brunauer
October 24, 2013
ACTION – identifying and exploring an issue, question,
dilemma, gap …
… to improve the quality of teaching and learning ...
AREAS TO INVESTIGATE (Fisher, 2001):
- your teaching and making
changes in teaching
practice,
- your learners and how they
learn,
- your interaction with the
current curriculum,
- your teaching beliefs and
philosophies and their
connections with daily
practice.
ACTION RESEARCH STUDY
Think about what we want to focus on
Reflect
Reflect on what has happened to
improve further
Plan
Plan what to do
Observe
Observe, monitor and record
Act
Carry out plan, collect evidence
Using research to inspire practice
ACTION RESEARCH STUDY –
Assessment for Learning
Using research to inspire practice
1st FOCUS GROUP
MEANINGFUL LEARNING
 Connection to real life
 Project work (»deep learning«)
 Having a possibility to chose within the unit
 Active learning
 No time pressure
 Co-operative learning (group work)
MEANINGFUL ASSESSMENT
 Comments instead of grades
 Grades in the middle/end of the school year
5 KEY STRATEGIES – FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT (Wiliam, 2010).
1) Clarifying, sharing and understanding learning intentions and
criteria for success.
2) Engineering classroom activities that elicit evidence of
learning.
3) Providing feedback that moves learners forward.
4) Activating students as instructional resources for one
another.
5) Activating students as owners of their own learning.
… to improve the quality of teaching and
learning ...
1. Clarifying, sharing and understanding learning intentions
DEEP LEARNING
HAVING A POSSIBILITY TO CHOSE WITHIN THE UNIT
Understanding learning intentions
INVESTIGATE: explore, use senses, generate ideas and
possibilities
•
•
•
•
•
What are the aims and objectives, expectations of the task?
What is the knowledge and understanding required?
Where will you find the information?
What skills are involved?
How will you work: alone, with a partner or in a group?
COOPERATIVE LEARNING
Understanding learning intentions
PLAN: list of tasks, timescale, assignments of jobs
•
•
•
•
How long do you have?
What is already known?
What needs to be done and when?
Which other curriculum areas are involved?
HAVING A POSSIBILITY TO CHOOSE
Clarifying, sharing and understanding criteria for success
CONNECTION TO REAL LIFE
2. Engineering classroom activities that elicit evidence of
learning
EVIDENCE OF LEARNING:
-
Process of creating music
Planning
Reflection
Feedback
Response to feedback
Evidence of learning
ACTIVE LEARNING
Evidence of learning
CONNECTION TO REAL LIFE
3. Providing feedback that moves learners forward
COMMENTS INSTEAD OF GRADES
Providing feedback that moves learners forward
DEVELOPMENTAL WORKBOOK – example
COMMENTS INSTEAD OF GRADES
4. Activating students as instructional resources for one
another
21st Century Classroom
Has anything
really changed?
Preparing
activities,
tasks and assignments for
each other, peer assessment, portfolio conferences.
Using research to inspire practice
2nd FOCUS GROUP
MEANINGFUL LEARNING:
 Creating music
 Learning can be fun
 Having a possibility to evaluate each other‘s work
AREAS TO IMPROVE:
 Self-regulation
5. Activating students as owners of their own learning
(How) can I take responsibility for my learning?
SELF-REGULATION OF LEARNING
2.
1.
WHAT DO I WANT
DO I HAVE
CONNECTION TO REAL LIFE
SELF-REGULATION OF LEARNING
Activating students as owners of their own learning
CONNECTION TO REAL LIFE
SELF-REGULATION OF LEARNING
SELF-REGULATION OF LEARNING
ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING – FINDINGS:
• Students associate positive attitude towards assessment mainly with
descriptive assessment and peer assessment.
• The dynamic nature of contemporary forms of teaching and learning
provide time and space to talk to students and give them descriptive
feedback.
• Self-regulation connects learning objectives to the students' lives.
»We will need self-regulation in our lives. We haven‘t learned only certain
topics, but also how to control ourselves and how to choose the right
direction to go.« (F3, E7)
WHAT ARE THE KEY EFFECTS OF ACTION RESEARCH ON THE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS?
Teacher research will force the re-evaluation of current theories
and will significantly influence what is known about teaching,
learning, and schooling (Burns, 2009).
Teachers leave a mark on their students, but they seldom leave
a mark on their profession (Wolfe, 1989).
NEW ROLE FOR TEACHERS
(Lee Hsien Loong)
REFERENCES
Burns, A. (2009). Action Research. In: J. Heigham and R. A. Croker (Ed.),
Qualitative Research in Applied Linguistic (pp.112-134). UK: Palgrave
Macmillan.
Morgan, D. L. (1997). Focus groups as qualitative research. UK: Sage
Publications Ltd.
Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods. Newbury
Park, CA: Sage Publications.