Search results for "professional learning"

Higher education teachers' descriptions of their own learning : large scale study of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences

2016

In this large-scale study, higher education teachers’ descriptions of their own learning were examined with qualitative analysis involving application of principles of phenomenographic research. This study is unique: it is unusual to use large-scale data in qualitative studies. The data were collected through an e-mail survey sent to 5960 teachers at universities of applied sciences in Finland. The number of respondents was 1622. Four hierarchically structured categories of learning were found: individual learning, collegial learning, team learning and innovative partnership learning. The role of teachers in higher education demands innovative partnership learning: being active at the socie…

Contextual and strategic knowledge in the acquisition of design expertise

2000

Abstract This study examines the acquisition of expertise in designing and developing information systems. The aim was to investigate how practical experience is related to contextual and strategic knowledge in problem-solving. Using a combination of expert–novice comparisons and longitudinal methods, professional systems analysts were compared with novices at the beginning and end of a seven month project-based course. The results show that during the course, the novices acquired a good deal of strategic competence in using domain-specific methods. Compared to the novices, the experts showed a more comprehensive and higher level of awareness of clients' contextual constraints. The study de…

Teacher training paths between neuroeducation and professional learning community

2016

This paper starts from the belief that a school capable of feeling and making community is regarded as a privileged context to promote both organizational and relational well-being. Teacher training is possible in the intersection between the concepts of Neuroeducation and learning community. Moreover, the concept of "school-as-a-community" interacts with that of "peer learning", which is configured as a methodology capable of simultaneously promoting the ability of realization of the individual and of the organization. From a methodological point of view, this work documents a research project carried out with a group of 69 teachers of the first cycle of education. Moving from the problems…

A Collaborative Classroom-Based Teacher Professional Learning Model

2017

This article reviews the Latvian experience of exploring a teacher continuous professional learning model, with an emphasis on teacher collaboration for professional learning. The developed model focuses on lessons taught in real-life classrooms and their subsequent analysis. The model consists of a set of regularly scheduled workshops in a period of a school year. It is based on the idea of a multiple activity cycle of “observe–reflect–write–discuss” conducted several times during every workshop. Every participant has an opportunity to experience two roles: that of a leader, teach a demonstration lesson to his/her colleagues, and that of a learner, observe, analyse and reflect on a colleag…

Educational Practitioners on Professional Community and Sense of Community

2011

Abstract The study aims to address two areas regarding preschool education: the participation of preschool practitioners in professional groups and communities and the views and understandings they hold on the ‘professional community’ concept. A survey was completed by teachers and specialists working with preschool children in all kindergartens of Sibiu (N=308) in July 2011. A quantitative and qualitative approach of the data was used, for processing a part of the survey’s items. Results show a high participation of practitioners in professional groups within their own institution, but less implication in national or international groups and communities. The respondents’ views on professio…

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Emotions and Agency in the Workplace

2017

In conjunction with a growing interest in professional agency, there is a need to understand how emotions are embedded in agentic practice. This chapter examines the emotions bound up with work and how these emotions are related to professional agency. The subjects of our study were leaders (middle management) and employees working in Finnish education and health-care organisations. A qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted to describe the relationship between professional agency and emotions. The study revealed a variety of emotions, including fear and enjoyment, related to professional identity, work, and social relationships. Among both employees and leaders, emotions were found to play…

Co-teaching as a context for teachers' professional learning and joint knowledge construction

2012

Abstract The study examined two primary teachers' professional learning and joint knowledge construction in the context of co-teaching. The teachers narrated their learning as a collaborative process with serendipitous origins. Shared knowledge construction was crucial in the learning process, as was implementing the resulting new ideas in practice. It is concluded that experiences of co-teaching may support teachers in meeting their professional responsibilities effectively. Professional development programmes need to be sensitive to teachers' individual and collaborative learning experiences to be able better to support them in the natural context of those experiences in particular local …

From Individual Cognition to Communities of Practice

2006

Social-cognitive outcomes of teachers’ engagement in learning communities

2014

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to seek to investigate Etienne Wenger's theory of social learning in a community of practice by modeling two simultaneous aspects of teachers’ collaborative learning: their engagement in close-knit internal groupings and engagement with colleagues that work externally to the core group. These two learning processes are related to two social-cognitive outcomes: teachers’ organizational commitment and their sense of impact.Design/methodology/approach– The study investigated a field sample of 246 individual teachers from ten Finnish primary schools. Hypotheses were developed and tested by using multiple regression and structural equation modeling.Findings–…

LINKING TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS WITH APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS: INSIGHTS FROM AN INIATIVE IN LATVIA

2021

International surveys have stated that each year teachers spend, on average, more than 10 days engaged in different professional development activities. The purpose for this investment in teacher professional development (TPD) is clear: teachers’ competence must develop according to changes in curriculum and 21st century requirements. In previous research we have developed a theoretical teacher competence framework, implemented it to identify teacher (N=263) groups competence gaps and professional development needs. The goal of this research is to link identified professional development needs related to the instruction of 21st century skills (criteria - instructional design, learning goals…