The expression of teacher competencies in
action research field: the case – based study of
KTU teacher education program “Pedagogy”
Nijolė Bankauskienė
Aldona Augustinienė
Nijolė Čiučiulkienė
Kaunas University of Technology
Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, University
College Dublin, 7-10 September 2005
Abstract
The present day’s teacher faces the necessity to understand
governmental education policy in the frame of world – wide and
European issues. The function of the teacher as the knowledge evaluator
is not satisfactory any more. Teacher’s work, which was understood as a
limited teaching practice, nowadays is developing into a many – folded
activity. Globalisation, multicultural social environment demands from
the present day teacher not only being a good class manager and leader of
the pupils’ development but also demonstrating problem solving and
decision – making competence outside the classroom. In this context
action research creates a possibility for the development of teacher’s
contemporary competencies’ thesaurus. For this reason the purpose of the
research was to investigate the variety of the competencies that a future
or a re-qualifying teacher acquires while performing action research.
The research sample consists of the 46 students of KTU requalifying program “Pedagogy” final theses (n=46) and 1121 quotation
items, taken from the final theses. The research data support the
hypothesis that action research provides the positive environment for the
development of intercultural and pedagogical professional competencies.
Key words: teacher competencies, action research.
Introduction
The contemporary changing society and its reality pose high
requirements to all professional specialists. Teachers are not an
exception. Transformations inspire them to learn, to look for new ways
and qualities of learning, to analyze the dynamic change and its reasons,
because only a life –long learner can become a competent, competitive,
wise, emancipated personality who ensures the successful development
1
of legal justice, democracy and social welfare (P.F. Drucker, 1993;
J.Chapman, 1996).
Such reality lays a special emphasis on totally new competencies
such as management of the educational process, critical thinking, and the
analysis of problems, decision-making, and the constant development of
the professional mastery (P.Juceviciene, D.Lepaite, 2002; O.Visockiene,
2002; S.Saulenienė, 2003; V.Zydziūnaite, 2003).
The present day teacher should not only provide the transmission
of the current information, he/she should also stimulate the process of
learning, while being positive about the constant change (M.Fulan, 1998,
L.Stoll, D.Fink, 1998, A.Hargreaves, 1999). Having in mind that
transferable competencies, reflection of action, ability to learn from
personal experience and perform action research while training teachers,
play an immense role in teaching practice it is necessary to emphasise the
importance of action research and self-assessment of personal activities.
In this context while trying to respond to the contemporary tendencies of
teacher training it is possible to determine the following problem
question:
 Does action research create a possibility for the development of
teacher’s contemporary competencies’ thesaurus?
The purpose of the research is to investigate the variety of the
competencies that a future or a re-qualifying teacher acquires while
performing action research.
The objectives of the research may be defined as follows:
 To analyse the structure of the contemporary teaching
competence, which is important for the quality of teaching
practice;
 To perform the qualitative analysis of the final theses presented
by the students of KTU re-qualifying program “Pedagogy“.
The following theoretical concepts form the methodological
framework for the research:
 The concept of new teacher’s roles (V.Tumėnienė, B.Janiūnaitė,
2002, 2004; D.Lepaitė, 2001; P.Jucevičienė, 1999, 2001;
D.Lepaitė, P.Jucevičienė, 2000) defining the margin between
traditional and contemporary teaching roles and functions.
 The concept of competence (D.Lepaitė, P.Jucevičienė, 2000) in
which competence is approached as a holistic unit consisting of
minor subcompetencies.
 The concept of action in the research.
The following research methods were applied in the research:
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1. Scientific literature analysis contributes to the framework of
teaching roles, functions and competencies; acquired while
performing action research.
2. Documentary analysis reveals the basic governmental
political concepts concerning the development of teachers’
competences.
3. Content analysis of the final theses presented by the students
of KTU re-qualifying program “Pedagogic“. The research
sample consists of the 46 final theses (n=46) of the
“Pedagogic “students and 1121 quotation items, taken from
the final theses.
A hypothesis of the research paper argues that the performance of
the action research creates a positive environment for the development of
the qualitatively new teaching competencies.
The research paper consists of two parts. The first part is devoted
to the analysis of the contemporary approach to teacher’s roles, teacher’s
competence concept. This part also includes some discussion on
theoretical findings concerning action research as the way revealing the
theoretical presupposition for the development of new teaching
competencies. The second part presents research methodology and
analysis of the research findings.
1. New teaching roles and contemporary competencies in the
present day teaching reality
The resent Lithuanian research data (V.Tumėnienė, B.Janiūnaitė,
2002, 2004; D.Lepaitė, 2001; P.Jucevičienė, 1999, 2001; D.Lepaitė,
P.Jucevičienė, 2000) demonstrate that traditional teaching functions may
be defined as presentation of the information, organisation and
coordination of the teaching/ learning process, subject teaching,
consulting, training and educating of the students. These functions are
represented by the identical teaching roles.
As it is stated in the European educational dimension context, the
traditional teaching roles have a tendency to change while acquiring new
qualitative aspects of activity. A contemporary teacher is turned into a
researcher, psychologist, facilitator of teaching / learning processes,
inspirator of a meaningful change, philosopher, social pedagogue,
innovator, clinicist, cooperating colleague, mentor, etc. In order to
perform the above-mentioned functions and roles any teacher needs new
competencies.
The concept ‘competence’ is defined as a holistic unit consisting
of a set of minor competencies. It may be also interpreted as a specific
3
knowledge in a concrete subject. In order to point out the difference
between the ‘competence’ and ‘competencies’ it is necessary to rely on
the concept of ‘competencies’ in a ‘competence’ (J.Sandberg, 1994),
which reveals the relationship between a person and his/her activity.
Competence becomes a normative category (L.Svensson and J.Theman,
1983). Minor competencies, defined as the components of the holistic
competence, enable to describe the quality of action performed by a
person. For this reason scientists argue on the issue of the interior
transformative ‘competencies in the competence’. Holistic idea of the
competence (S.Otter, 1992) not only stresses knowledge and skills, but
also personal qualities and values, the ability to implement accumulated
potential and experience in activity (J.Bowden & F.Marton, 1998).
The group of Lithuanian scientists (head - P.Juceviciene,
members
A.Alisauskas,
J.Ambrukaitis,
A.Augustiniene,
N.Bankauskiene, M.Barkauskaite, R.Ciuzas, V.Glebuviene, B.Janiunaite,
D.Lepaite,
M.Masaitis,
M.Miskiniene,
O.Monkeviciene,
A.Ramanauskaite,
J.Ruskus,
S.Sauleniene,
N.Saugeniene,
V.Stanisauskiene, 2004) after performing a detailed study of Lithuanian
and foreign scientific literature and analysis of educational documents
(‘Educational guidelines’, 2002, ‘Educational strategic issues for 2003 –
2012’, etc.) recommended the following structure of teachers’
competence:
1. Intercultural competence;
2. Pedagogical-professional competence is further subdivided
into:
a) Transferable competencies –
 social competence;
 learning to learn competence;
 competence of the effective action;
 communicative competence;
 competence of the information management;
 project management competence;
 action research competence;
b) General pedagogic competence  the competence to implement educational ideas and
IT;
 the competence to promote active and innovative
learning environments and programs;
 the competence to motivate and support the pupils;
 sociocultural competence;
c) Special pedagogic competence –
4
 pre-elementary educational competence;
 elementary educational competence
 general and secondary educational competence;
 competence of special education;
 competence of career education;
 competence of informal training.
Intercultural competence includes knowledge, values, skills,
attitudes and other personal qualities that influence successful personal
action in a concrete culture. The components of transferable
competencies are knowledge, values, skills and other personal qualities
that are necessary for any human activity and are possible to transfer
from one activity to another: for example, transferable communicative
competence can be a compound of other performative competencies.
Discussion on the transferable competencies definition (’general’,
‘transformative’, ‘transferable’ and so on) has just started. It is worth to
mention that these competencies are universal, independent from the
influence of professional activity.
General pedagogical competence comprises teacher’s knowledge,
skills, attitudes, values and other personal qualities, that are necessary for
a successful educational activity. It is not specified according the
educational levels. Benchmark Information on the Standard for Initial
Teachers Education in Scotland (2000) demonstrates the interrelation
between the separate general pedagogical competence aspects.
Special pedagogical competence consists of teacher’s values,
attitudes, skills, professional knowledge and other personal qualities that
influence the success of teacher’s activity in a concrete educational area.
The above listed competencies and their components are being
developed through long-life learning. As it is declared in the Long-life
learning Memorandum ‘the most valuable thing is the human ability to
use effectively and efficiently personal knowledge in a constantly
changing environment <…>, individual learning motivation and the
variety of learning possibilities is the essential presupposition for the
successful long-life learning’.
This context stresses the importance of the metalearning
competence (N.Longworth, 1999, P.Juceviciene, 2001). Once more it is
necessary to point out the competence of professional management of
personal development guidelines, which are revealed first of all in the
one loop learning circle while answering the question ‘what have I
done?’, later starting the double-loop learning based on reflection of the
performed action and finally entering the triple loop learning, which
brings forward the analysis of the acquired competencies, connected with
self observation, reflection and further development of teaching activity.
5
Action research is connected with the name of K. Lewin (1946)
who presented the concept of action integration into the experimental
research of social sciences. He pointed out the three steps of spiral
process, consisting of planning, action and the identification of the final
results. The whole process stresses the cooperative action and the teamwork. S. Corey (1949, 1953) was one of the first who implemented action
research in education. He argued that specialists could make better
decisions and work more effectively, if the research became a part of
decision-making and their results were used for future action
modification.
Action research is a cooperative research enabling its participants
to take systematic actions while solving the specific problems. It is a
team-work, which helps to form the competence of change management.
It is a qualitative research without future prognosis.
Action research came into Lithuanian education in 1997 after
APPLE courses for Lithuanian educators. The very research question
implies the double loop learning and the further action improvement. The
relationship between the researcher and the research subjects stimulates
the mutual reflection. As L. Jovaisa states (1993), reflection improves
self-identification, critical thinking, practical action and its performance.
Relying on J. Roderick (1999), B. Janiūnaite (2004), it is possible
to state that teachers’ self-reflection and action research is useful not only
for teacher‘s personal development, but also for the whole school
community. Action research provides more detailed information about
school life, urges any teacher to look for new teaching forms and
methods. The research data can be also used for the development of new
educational strategies and policies. Teacher’s reflection and research
present the detailed analysis of the investigated cases, rules and patterns,
which can be used by the teacher training staff. Thus, action research
provides the context for critical analysis of the existing theories, for
creating the alternative ones. As R.J.Arends (1998) points out, action
research through reflection and self-assessment creates the positive
environment for competence development, which may be revealed with
the help of teacher’s competence development diary and competence
portfolio.
2. Pedagogical Competencies’ Variety Expression in the Qualitative
Analysis of the “Pedagogy” Program Students’ Final Theses
In 2004, in November and 2005 July there was performed the
qualitative analysis of the “Pedagogy “program students’ final theses. All
students study at Kaunas University of Technology, faculty of social
6
sciences. The students, finishing one year of re-qualifying studies, had to
present the qualification final theses, based on action research.
The aim of the research was to check the hypotheses stating that
through performing action research it is possible to acquire the
contemporary teacher’s competencies.
The research was performed fulfilling the following steps:
 First step of the research - the pilot qualitative analysis of 46 final
theses of ‘Pedagogy’ students;
 The second step of the research is the qualitative analysis aiming
at the definitions of the current competencies;
 The third step of the research - the phenomenographic
categorization of the major competencies.
The conceptual framework of the research was justified defining
the concrete clarification of the teacher’s competencies, expressed in
students final theses (see table 1).
Table 1
Research data: the manifestation of Cross-cultural competence
Definition of
the
competence
Evidence
1. Crosscultural
competence
includes
knowledge,
values, skills,
attitudes and
other personal
qualities that
influence
successful
personal action
in a concrete
culture.
1. The
teacher
knows how to
develop the
European or
international
dimension
into crosscultural
activities with
other teachers
of several
disciplines
and has to
implement
the European
&
international
dimension in
cross-cultural
activities
Qualitative subcategory
1.1. Respect to different
cultures, the understanding of
national changes, skills to use
the information about cultural
variety in life and education.
1.2. Skills to cherish nation
and European traditions,
accepting cultural differences
and minding national identity.
1.3. Skills to analyse and
evaluate Lithuanian and
European educational
tendencies
Quotations
…together with teachers
of history and Lithuanian
language, I prepared a
course on national
tolerance concerning
Jewish problems…
…I suggested the art
project, which aimed to
compare new and old
things from every day life,
especially those brought
from European countries.
Pupils made a lot of
photographs from their
parents’ homes.
School reform opens wide
possibilities to compare
European and Lithuanian
students achievement
The
total
71
63
161
According to R. Barnett (1994), J. Delors (1996), D. Lepaite, P.
Juceviciene (2002, 2003), A. Novoa and M. Lawn (2002); P. Juceviciene,
V. Brazdeikis (2003); V. Tumeniene, B. Janiunaite (2004);
N.Bankauskiene & oth. (2004); V. Budiene (2004) the context of
European educational dimensions creates a qualitatively new space for
teaching action, which makes the teacher to respond to the social
demands of the above mentioned context and take new, untraditional
roles in the educational surroundings. It is not enough to be a good
7
specialist in a subject teaching. He/she has to acquire not only new
professional skills, but also to understand the main reasons of the
paradigmatic change and its consequences (A. Augustiniene, 2004; N.
Ciuciulkiene, 2004).
During the content qualitative analysis of student’s theses 46
students works were analysed while looking for the expressions of
competencies and their evidence. The most noticeable competencies
appeared to be the pedagogical professional and intercultural
competencies. In order to reach more clear view of the defined
competencies, students’ theses were segmented into quotations dealing
with the definition of the competence expression content. The total
number of segmented quotations is 1121. In this stage the research
sample becomes 1121 (n=1121), which is further categorized according
phenomenographic content analysis.
Cross–cultural competence has three main components revealed
through three subcategories that demonstrate teachers’ openness towards
European and world educational inheritance, their motivation to bring to
life contemporary educational ideas and directions: “…I suggested the art
project, which aimed to compare new and old things from every day life,
especially those brought from European countries. …Pupils made a lot of
photographs from their parents’ homes”, to manage basic future
strategies and tendencies: “School reform opens wide possibilities to
compare European and Lithuanian students’ achievement”. Cross
cultural competence and its implied aspect of social impact reveals the
importance of pedagogical professional competence.
As it is seen from the categorization data, the most frequent
subcategories reveal the importance of skills to analyze and evaluate
Lithuanian and European educational tendencies (quotation number 161); competence of information management (quotation number – 182),
research competence (quotation number – 173).
This fact testifies teachers’ competence to analyse and evaluate
European and Lithuanian educational traditions and tendencies (“School
reform opens wide possibilities to compare European and Lithuanian
students achievement”), to manage the information and work with it: “…I
collect and analyze all information that I get from the discussion with my
pupils”. This competence is fixed and revealed with the help of action
research: “…I am able to perform my action research: I can form
research question, I can write research diary, make content analysis…”
This shows that teachers while performing action research are
able to connect concrete curriculum and educational cultural context, to
reflect it and define the most important priorities for the future action.
8
Teaching activities and action research help the teachers to perceive what
competencies they already possess and what competencies they are still
to develop.
Table 2
Research data: the manifestation of Pedagogical-professional
competence
Definition of
the
competence
Evidence
Qualitative subcategory
2.1. Social competence
2.2.’Learning to learn’
competence
2. Pedagogicalprofessional
competence is
further
subdivided
into:
transferable
competencies;
general
pedagogic
competence,
and special
pedagogic
competence
2.Teacher is
able to
perform the
majority of
contemporary
teaching
functions and
roles (see
Appendix 1)
2.3. Competence of effective
action
2.4. Communicative
competence
2.5. Competence of
information management
2.6.Competence of project
management
2.7. Competence of change
management
2.8. Research competence
Quotations
… got acquainted with
teachers’ qualification grid
and was able to evaluate my
own ability to solve
pedagogical problems…
…I try to analyse such new
learning qualities as action
learning, cooperative
learning, to apply active
learning methods and
strategies…
…was writing my action
diary with all group
reflections included. It
helped me to evaluate my
teaching
…I enjoy all interactive
methods…
…I collect and analyze all
information that I get from
the discussion with my
pupils
…I always stimulate
students for project
evaluation…
…when I apply active
teaching methods, the work
in class becomes more
effective and interesting not
only for my students, but
also for myself.
…I am able to perform my
action research: I can form
research question, I can
write research diary, make
content analysis.
The
total
94
110
64
85
182
60
58
173
While performing teaching activities he/ she enhances his/her
transferable competencies such as researching competence, self
assessment competence, information and knowledge management
competence. While performing the research, negotiating and discussing
current problems and questions, the teacher develops his/her pedagogical
professional competence, which is revealed while developing pupils’
motivation and support competencies, pupils’ knowing and assessment
social – cultural competencies.
9
Still the content analysis data do not reveal the facts that teachers
might raise the question about their participation in cultural social life.
Teachers prefer to lay stress on didactic and methodological impact on
their students: “…I always stimulate students for project evaluation…”
As the research was performed in one institution, the research
results cannot be extrapolated for generalizing. Still it is possible to draw
some conclusions stressing the basic tendencies pattern.
Conclusions
1.
After performing scientific literature analysis it is possible to
state, that the present day teaching competence consists of two main
parts: cross-cultural and pedagogical professional competencies. The
content of current pedagogical competencies changes the main teaching
functions and roles. Traditional functions and roles have gained new
qualitative aspects, which influence the whole thesaurus of teaching
roles. For this reason the contemporary teaching roles and functions
acquired new positions such as teacher being the learning process
facilitator, educational change manager, mentor, researcher, social
pedagogue and innovator. These roles are successfully fulfilled while
performing the action research.
2.
The content analysis of the “Pedagogy” students’ final theses
confirmed that:
1. The leading competence is pedagogical professional competence,
in the context of which competence of information management
and research are revealed.
2. Teaching activities and action research help the teachers to
develop his/her transferable competencies such as researching
competence, self assessment competence, change, information
and knowledge management competence while performing the
research, negotiating and discussing current problems and
questions.
3. Cross-cultural competence demonstrates teachers’ openness
towards European and world educational inheritance, their
motivation to bring to life contemporary educational ideas and
directions, to manage basic future strategies and tendencies.
4. Though teachers tend to be opened for changes and innovations,
they do not pose the problem of social educational impact.
Teachers prefer to lay stress on didactic and methodological
impact on their students.
10
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