Transforming Practice Jean Dourneen GTE Conference 25 th January 2008

Context Jean – MSc assignment– observation of Sashas ICT session with English PGCE students Assignment suggested needed to observe students to see if they transformed the principles of the activity – Jean observed their lessons and interviewed them Decision to use the data for writing a paper – collaboration to scaffold Jeans introduction to research

Overview of Process Viewed video recording of university session together Read/reread literature -Cope and Kalantzis, Laughran Sasha – wrote reflections of her session Jean – wrote about Alex and Tesss lessons and interview Discussed each others notes – decision to focus on one point in activity Jean – analysis of similar instances in students lessons Sasha – closer analysis of one point in activity Discussion of first draft about session and lessons and what we found out from them Jean – put drafts together to create first draft of paper Sasha – did more literature research Discussion of findings/conclusions More drafting and literature reading

The university session Objectives to learn ICT skills to consider the creative use of ICT in English To consider the balance between talk about ICT and talk about poetry Framework Immersion (in paradigmatic activity) Critical Framing TransformationOvert Instruction Activity Students worked in pairs to create Powerpoint slides to give an interpretation of a poem of their own choice. While students worked, Sasha circulated and suggested how students might extend their learning. In a plenary, the group reflected on their outcomes and on the activity as a teaching and learning tool. Cope and Kalantzis (2000)

The students lessons and interview Observations audio recorded Alexs session first, then Tess They discussed work because they knew I was researching it Their lessons used the activity and there was some transformation, mostly of management rather than learning – use of ICT suite; working in pairs; planning lesson; assessment Interview with both students

Alexs lesson Focus on one intervention: (Following discussion of the need to focus on one word) A.Whats the most important word in that stanza? P. Dingy A.OK so what can you do with those words to make them effective? P.We could have a dark coloured background A.I think thats a good idea Alexs pupils PowerPointPowerPoint

Tesss lesson Focus on one intervention: T. So whats going to be on your first slide? B. The first slide weve got the green lake was big so were expressing how big it was T. Can you tell me whats going to happen with the words on your screen? B. Yeah, its gonna get massive Tesss pupils PowerPoint

The Interview – students perceptions of how they adapted the activity for the classroom and issues raised I gave my students a whole lesson planning…Then I gave them a very detailed task sheet…I wanted them to be writing about what they were doing and why they were doing it Tess They were all completely engaged for the entire hour Both students I think its a fantastic way of getting them into a text, getting them to do very close reading without necessarily realising that they are Tess I think I would use it again, especially for revision giving them themes to look at or sections of chapters Alex It didnt allow for a reading or writing level particularly Alex

Main findings about students transformation of the activity Students enjoyed the activity in the university session and were keen to use it in their own teaching Students adapted the activity for their own teaching, mostly in management and content rather than learning aspects They saw it as a summative activity, rather than a formative one They did not fully appreciate the learning potential of the teacher intervention They equated pupils engagement with successful learning They were vague about the potential of the activity for learning and assessment

Theoretical Framework Situated practice PhronesisParadigmatic activity Overt instruction Tacit – explicit Multilayered teaching Critical framingEpisteme Pedagogical subject knowledge Transformed learning Episteme/ phronesis Transferred pedagogy New London Group 2000 Loughran 2006reflections

Our Conclusions We could place more emphasis on critical framing perhaps by focusing on a problematic moment in the paradigmatic activity We could build in time to discuss students transformations of particular activities Collaborative work between student teachers and teacher educators gives the opportunity to develop reflection on practice and an introduction to action research Using video to record observations focuses discussion on the details of teaching and learning

What have we personally gained from this work? A critical framework for discussion of teacher education as a distinctive practice Close analysis of our practice in sessions An evolving practice of teacher education Research development opportunities A stronger focus on students transfer of learning (impact is a problematic term?)

How has this research changed our practice? For Students Changes For Us disturbing practice Clear idea of problematic moment in Paradigmatic activity Focus on students learning and work in school Need for critical framing Videoing sessions Planning and evaluating sessions together Peer observation Links strengthened between sessions Making the tacit explicitVideopapers Team teaching Beware the well-managed, busy session with little learning