Windesheim makes knowledge work Team research on explorative dialogues

Windesheim makes knowledge work This presentation highlights our research process and the topic of research “explorative dialogues”. When your interest lies in the research process please start at the next slide. If you (first) would like to know more about explorative dialogues go straight to slide 16. When you’d like to know more about our research results feel free to me at Content

Windesheim makes knowledge work Explorative dialogues improve the quality of education when it comes to preparing children for (21st centuries) society. (Leeman, 2004). Building on the: Relationships (among pupils and teachers and pupils) meaningful learning Multiple perspectives Listening and talking Inquisitive attitude Classroom learning connected with pupils identity development. Prior this research

Windesheim makes knowledge work A.Creating space in the teacher training curriculum. B.Professionalize on the topic and guiding of explorative classroom dialogues Ourselves: Teacher trainer/ researcher & teachers with time to teach this new topic. Research objectives

Windesheim makes knowledge work A.Where and how in our teacher trainer curriculum can our students learn about using and guiding an explorative classroom dialogue? B.What are minimum skills and organizational preconditions within design research that we need to professionalize ourselves and our colleagues in? Research question

Windesheim makes knowledge work How do we motivate our colleagues for this topic? “The curriculum is flooded!!” “Dialogues are time consuming!” “We are no experts on this topic!” “Dialogues need abstract thinking, this is only possible in save groups with smart children…” But…there’s reality

Windesheim makes knowledge work One lesson, one exercise, some literature Interviews with four participating teachers, before and after the try-out Results Yes! A tiny place in the curriculum Tacit-knowledge made explicit (thoughts and choices of teacher trainers) Support to make explorative dialogues a sustainable part of this particular lesson Students immediately go into discussion! Explorative dialogue does not take place at all! First step: pilot ( )

Windesheim makes knowledge work Design research/ research design Principal researcher develops research instruments Field notes, observations Teacher trainers make field notes All: discuss and read two times a year in research meeting Research Explorative data analysis Try-out

Windesheim makes knowledge work Data collection: field-notes (by teacher trainers), video’s (4/6), students observational notes (10), students reflection forms (10/80) This data is used for team discussion amongst participating teacher educators in order to professionalize, improve lesson materials and possible curriculum improvement Second step: focus on explorative questions

Windesheim makes knowledge work Students results: No discussions, but no questions either. There was still no real explorative dialogue Team learning results: Shared knowledge and experience with explorative classroom dialogues amongst participating teacher trainers Design results: Improved didactics Design research results: Team research in education needs, continuity of staff and regular meetings. Time is an issue! Results

Windesheim makes knowledge work Students results: Real dialogues, insight in students thoughts and learning Team learning results: Designing assignments that stimulate learning, give direct information for teachers about connection between topic and student and give research information. Design results: Improved didactics Design research results: Research instruments that both benefit research and learning process and that are easy and quick to analyze. First results

Windesheim makes knowledge work Research based, sustainable improvements PracticeResearch designProfesionlisation

Windesheim makes knowledge work Take more time for reflection Detailed theoretical explanation for students List of possible questions to ask Hand-out for preparing a explorative classroom dialogue with your class Synergy with a prior classes and prior literature (class about one-on-one talks) Giving students examples and practice in prior lessons Lesson improvements

Windesheim makes knowledge work Future Explorative dialogue during one lesson Explorative dialogue in the curriculum Structural attention for dialogues in our way of educating

Windesheim makes knowledge work Explorative dialogues Extra slides

Windesheim makes knowledge work In order prepare our children to become socially responsible and autonomic thinking participants of the 21st century society. Why education?

Windesheim makes knowledge work Citizens are capable employees on the labor market and at the same time fulfil the role of caretaker for relatives and friends Citizens who consume, but at the same time think about sustainability and dividing and reducing garbage. Citizens who are able to avow their religion and culture but at the same time give others the courtesy to do so. Etc. Socially responsible and autonomic thinking?

Windesheim makes knowledge work Knowledge of and a sense of ownership of societies dilemma’s To know “the others” whom we live with Attention for modern lifecycle. We constantly need to position ourselves to new information and changing situations. This means that educations not only about learning new knowledge. But about meaningful learning in dialogue with others (Wegerif, 2001) S0 we need

Windesheim makes knowledge work Constructive knowledge conversations Debates Explorative group dialogues Classroom conversations

Windesheim makes knowledge work A content learning conversation that contributes to identity development and empathy development by exploring one selves and others experiences, thoughts, feelings on a topic. This means: Differences aren’t polished away but are topic of exploration Slow talking (and thinking) No prefixed-results Objectives explorative classroom dialogues

Windesheim makes knowledge work Big enough to explore Contains a minimum of 1 (socially) dilemma Contains cross-connections with educational content Pupils can personally connect to the topic (experience, development, interest etc.) Topics to explore

Windesheim makes knowledge work Explorative questions Open questions Alternate in depth exploration and broadwise exploration In depth exploration: questions about circumstances, backgrounds, feelings and knowledge Broad wise exploration: asking about different (oposite) experiences/examples, different feelings and thoughts, or new/different knowledge.

Windesheim makes knowledge work Pitfalls Helm/ moderator – Drifting from main topic – Involvement Safety Sensitive subject, yes! But no therapeutically sessions.

Windesheim makes knowledge work Skills moderator? Consciousness of educational goals Knowing the meaning of classroom topics for society and being able to connect these two Knowing the development and interest of pupils and group. Set goals for this particular dialogue Possess dialogical skills Being able to reflect on own values

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