1. BENGİ SONYEL MEHMET ÇAĞLAR
HOW TEACHERS' VOICE INFLUENCE DECISION MAKERS IN
DECISION-MAKING INSIDE THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.
BENGİ SONYEL
MEHMET ÇAĞLAR
EMU-FACULTY OF EDUCATION

2. PURPOSE
TO INVESTIGATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEACHERS’ VOICE IN REFLECTIVE PRACTICE.
IF THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DECISION MAKERS’ AND TEACHERS’ VIEWS ON TEACHERS’ VOICE IN THE PROCESS OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE.
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3. LITERATURE REVIEW ‘‘AT THE HEART OF ADULT LEARNING LIES REFLECTION ’’
( DAY, 1993 )
‘‘ REFLECTION IS A PROCESS IN WHICH PRACTITIONERS THINK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AFTER THE EVENT IN ORDER TO CONSIDER WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WHY, AND WHETHER SOMETHING DIFFERENT MIGTH HAVE HELPED. THE REFLECTIVE PROCESS DOESN’T ATTEMPT TO DEROUTINISE, TO MAKE EVERYTHING RATIONAL OR TO CHALLENGE EVERY ASSUMPTION; BUT IT DOES ENABLE ( A PRACTITIONER ) TO WORK AT THEIR PRATICE, MODIFY IT AND KEEP IT UNDER CRITICAL CONTROL. AT A MORE SOPHISTICATED LEVEL IT SHADES INTO SOME KIND OF ACTION RESEARCH. ’’ ( ERAUT, 1989 : 175 )
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4. ( BRITZMAN, 1990, QUOTED IN CONNELLY AND CLANDININ, 1990 )
‘‘ WITHIN REFLECTIVE PRACTICE MODEL, PROVIDING FEEDBACK IS A VERY DIFFERENT PROCESS. PRACTITIONERS RECEIVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF INFORMATION ; THE INFORMATION GENERATED IN A DIFFERENT WAY; AND THE INTERPRETATION OF INFORMATION TAKES PLACE IN AN OPEN AND EQUITABLE DISCUSSION AMONG ALL THE RELEVANT PARTIES. IN REFLECTIVE PRACTICE, THE FACILITATOR IS A NOT SUPERIOR ASSESSING PERFORMANCE QUALITY BUT A COLLABORATOR STIMULATING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH IN A WAY COSISTENT WITH THE NEED OF THE INDIVIDUALS. ’’
( OSTERMAN AND KOTTKAMP, )
‘‘ VOICE IS MEANING THAT RESIDES IN THE INDIVIDUAL AND ENABLES THAT INDIVIDUAL TO PARTICIPATE IN A COMMUNITY... THE STRUGGLE FOR VOICE BEGINS WHEN A PERSON ATTEMPTS TO COMMUNICATE MEANING TO SOMEONE ELSE. FINDING THE WORD, SPEAKING FOR ONESELF AND FEELING HEARD BY OTHERS IS ALL A PART OF THIS PROCESS...VOICE SUGGEST RELATIONSHIPS: THE INDIVIDUAL’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE MEANING OF HER / HIS EXPERIENCE AND HENCE, TO LANGUAGE, AND THE INDIVIDUAL’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE OTHER, SINCE UNDERSTANDING IS A SOCIAL PROCESS. ’’
( BRITZMAN, 1990, QUOTED IN CONNELLY AND CLANDININ, 1990 )
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5. ‘‘A KEY MESSAGE IDENTIFIED BY THE CORNWALL PROJECT IS
‘‘A KEY MESSAGE IDENTIFIED BY THE CORNWALL PROJECT IS. ‘BE PREPARED TO WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN WHATEVER WAY THEY EXPRESS THEMSELVES. THEIR EXPERIENCE WAS THAT THEY WORKED WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH CREATIVE ARTS, AND SET UP AND EXHIBITION OF THEIR WORK IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S VENUE. ARTS BASED APPROACHES ARE ATTRACTIVE TO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, AND THE WORK WAS OF HIGH QUALITY.BUT IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT VERY FEW OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE AREA CAME TO SEE THE EXHIBITION. SERVICE PROVIDERS AND MANAGERS NEED TO BE OPEN TO COMMENT IN UNCONVENTIONAL FORMS.’’
( LAWS, 1998 )
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6. METHODOLOGY
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHOD WAS USED FOR THIS RESEARCH, WHICH INCLUDED TEACHERS AND DECISION MAKERS CHOSEN RANDOMLY AS A SAMPLE GROUP INTERVIEWEES.
DUE TO TIME LIMITATIONS, WE HAD TO CARRY OUT THIS RESEARCH UNDER A WELL STRUCTURED SCHEDULE.
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7. THIS RESEARCH WAS CARRIED OUT IN COLLEGES, BOTH STATE AND PRIVATE :
EASTERN MEDITERREAN COLLEGE,
NEAR EAST COLLEGE,
GAZİ MAĞUSA TÜRK MAARİF COLLEGE,
TÜRK MAARİF COLLEGE.
BOTH DECISION MAKERS’ AND TEACHERS’ INTERVIEWS WERE SEMI-STRUCTURED AND GUIDED BY FRAMEWORK BASED ON THE THREE CORE QUESTIONS.
PRIVATE COLLEGES : SIX TEACHERS AND SIX ADMINISTRATORS.
STATE COLLEGES : SIX TEACHERS AND SIX ADMINISTRATORS.
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8. RESEARCH QUESTIONS RESEARCH QUESTION 1 :
THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO EVOKE TEACHERS’ AND DECISION MAKERS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
RESEARCH QUESTION 1 :
ACCORDING TO TEACHERS AND DECISION MAKERS WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEACHERS’VOICE IN DECISION-MAKING ?
RESEARCH QUESTION 2 :
WHAT IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH TEACHERS’ VOICE IS HEARD ?
RESEARCH QUESTION 3 :
HOW DO TEACHERS AND DECISION MAKERS PERCEIVE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF REFLECTION IN DECISION-MAKING ?
EMU-FACULTY OF EDUCATION

9. FINDINGS REFLECTION IS GIVING AND TAKING FEEDBACK.
CONTINIOUS REFLECTION IS A MUST FOR PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES.
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE CAN TAKE PLACE WHEN THERE IS A NURTURING AND COLLABORATIVE ENVIROMENT, AN ENVIROMENT CHARACTERIZED BY OPENNESS AND TRUST.
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10. 42 % OF THE ADMINISTRATORS STATED THAT REFLECTION CAN BE USED AS A PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHINIQUE.
75 % OF THE ADMINISTRATORS SUPPORTED THE VIEW THAT REFLECTION IS EXCHANGING IDEAS.
ALL TEACHERS AND 75 % OF ADMINISTRATORS EMPHASIZED THAT TEACHERS VOICE THEIR VOICES IN PERIODIC MEETINGS.
25 % OF THE ADMINISTRATORS POINTED OUT THAT TEACHERS DIRECTLY EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS TO THE HEAD.
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11. BOTH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS REVEALED THAT TEACHERS’ VOICE IS SIGNIFICANT IN DECISION MAKING AS THERE THE ONES WHO ARE ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN TEACHING.
ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS EMPHASIZED THAT EDUCATION SYSTEM IN NORTHERN CYPRUS IS CENTRALIZED.
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12. CONCLUSION
BOTH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS EMPHASIZED THAT REFLECTION IS A POWERFUL PRACTICE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IS POSSIBLE WHEN INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE THE PROFFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. ACCORDING THIS RESEARCH FINDINGS, CHANGE COULD BE ACHIEVED THROUGH GIVING AND TAKING FEEDBACK, CONSIDERING BOTH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS IDEAS IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEMS AND TAKING ACTION ACCORDINGLY.
EMU-FACULTY OF EDUCATION

13. TEACHERS’ VOICE IS SIGNIFICANT IN DECISION-MAKING.
“…TO COPE WITH A CHANGING WORLD, ANY ENTITY MUST DEVELOP THE CAPABILITY OF SHIFTING AND CHANGING, OF DEVELOPING NEW SKILLS AND ATTITUDES: IN SHORT THE CAPABILITY OF LEARNING…THE ESSENCE OF LEARNING IS THE ABILITY TO MANAGE CHANGE BY CHANGING YOURSELF-AS MUCH FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY GROW UP AS FOR COMPANIES WHEN THEY LIVE THROUGH TURMOIL.’’
( DE GUES, 1997 )
IN ORGANIZATIONS THERE IS A HIERARCHY WHICH MUST BE FOLLOWED. THIS RESEARCH REVEALED THAT, WITHIN THE SCHOOL ENVIROMENT THERE IS HIERARCHY WHICH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS MUST FOLLOW.
TEACHERS’ VOICE IS SIGNIFICANT IN DECISION-MAKING.
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14. SCHOOL’S POLICY STATEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
THE CURRENT EDUCATION SYSTEM MUST BE CHANGED. IN OTHER WORDS, IT MUST BE DECENTRALIZED.
SCHOOL’S POLICY STATEMENT
ACTION
TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS
BOTH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS MUST BE ENCOURAGED INTO RESEARCH AND REFLECTIVE PRACTISE.
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15. AS WELLINGTON STATED : ‘‘ WITHOUT REFLECTION WE RUN THE RISK OF CONFINING OUR UNDERSTANDING AND ANALYSIS TO UNARTICULATED ASSUMPTIONS AND CONDITION.’’
( WELLINGTON, 1996 )
‘‘ IT IS GENERALLY AGREED THAT REFLECTION IN, ON AND ABOUT PRACTICE IS ESSENTIAL TO BUILDING, MAINTAINING AND FURTHER DEVELOPING CAPACITIES OF TEACHERS TO THINK AND ACT PROFESSIONALLY OVER THE SPAN OF THEIR CAREERS. ’’
( DAY 1993 )
EMU-FACULTY OF EDUCATION