Professional development through professional enquiry
Aileen Ackland reflects on the value of action enquiry in professional development *
Policy for adult literacies in Scotland explicitly adopts a social practices perspective; the Adult Literacy and Numeracy Curriculum Framework for Scotland advocates the following principles.
- Purposeful learning builds on learners' prior knowledge and experience to construct new knowledge.
- Learning is a social activity embedded in a particular culture and context.
- Learning occurs through engaged participation in the activities of knowledge communities.
- Effective transfer of learning from one context to another requires that the learner understand not only the facts but the 'big picture'.
- Knowing when and how to apply what has been learned is central to expertise, and can be acquired only through practice.
Charged with developing a CPD programme for a Teaching Qualification in Adult Literacies ( TQAL), we were determined to ensure that it was consistent with these principles. We saw parallels between the key principles of learning and teaching adult literacies and learning and teaching for professional development.
Accordingly, we began our programme planning not with a list of content we would deliver but by imagining a journey of professional growth. This was to be a shared journey in which programme tutors would model and scaffold learning through enquiry, which would provide a social context rich with professional discourse, would take in the 'big picture' of Adult Literacies, would inspire creativity in practice, and during which we would, as peers, negotiate our definitions of professionalism.
Piloting the programme
Four practitioner groups were set up for the national pilot programme, associated with the Universities of Aberdeen, Strathclyde, Dundee and Forth Valley College. The groups met separately but were linked through a Virtual Learning Environment. Routine use of Web 2.0 tools, such as blogs and wikis [1], established a community of practice within which professional concerns, innovative ideas and fresh understandings could circulate constructively.
In the programme, research awareness and skills are developed cumulatively through four modules. In the third module (Expanding Our Repertoire) participants are required to undertake an action enquiry project, sharing their experience with the wider community through their blogs. For many participants this task was a pivotal point in their learning on the programme. Here are three examples.
Reflection
For Brian, the action enquiry process had confirmed his professionalism: he learned, 'I am a good tutor and facilitator' (a significant insight in a field in which feelings of 'impostorship' can undermine teacher confidence). Reflective practice had made him 'more disciplined ... my practice is robust and forward thinking. I am developing creative skills'. For Sharon, too, action enquiry was an experience that 'validated her voice'. She had gained 'a conscious awareness' in which 'theoretical understanding improved practical application'. She believes that this has resulted in 'informed support for the tutors' she manages, as well as benefiting learners. Tina found that 'In doing research, you become the learner. Values and assumptions get challenged, and sometimes changed.'
Participants, as well as programme leaders, drew parallels between themselves and their learners:
'We ask learners to go outside their comfort zones in their learning [as] without this it is difficult to progress, so why should we not be pushed outside ours? It's good to see how this feels (on reflection of course!) and be reminded of how valuable it is to face challenges.' Source: TQAL blog
The focus on enquiry in TQAL has helped practitioners to take ownership of their own professional development. This has transformed their self-confidence, sense of agency and professional identity. Action enquiry helps you examine your own practice and see whether it lives up to your own expectations [6]. In Brian's words, "Action enquiry helped me see I'm living the right way". All of us involved in the programme have negotiated a concept of professionalism that incorporates a willingness to question one's beliefs and preconceptions and to be open to change - through critical reflection and through exposing one's practices to others and to enquiry.'
'We will all take many positives from our TQAL experience, I am sure, but the most positive aspect for me is that we are more active in our practice, and more critically aware of how and why we practise and apply more critical analysis to our profession.' Source: TQAL discussion forum
Aileen Ackland is Curriculum Leader of the Scottish Consortium that has developed a new Teaching Qualification in Adult Literacies ( TQAL).
For more information about the TQAL programme see: www.nrdc.org.uk/TQAL
A conference paper - Ackland, A. and Wallace, D. (2006) Teaching teaching as social practice - which outlines the rationale for the TQAL curriculum, is available at www.nrdc.org.uk/TQAL
Action enquiry project: case studies
Brian
I was concerned I wasn't effective in demonstrating how and by what means learners' reading skills were progressing. I felt that reading goals seemed 'soft' as opposed to writing and numeracy, which are more tangible for me. The problem was exacerbated by the fact that reading took place in a social setting with the emphasis on reading for pleasure. I wanted to examine and improve my practice in this area.
A literature review helped define the direction of the enquiry. I reviewed learning theories and aimed to introduce a dialogical approach in my teaching. I wanted to bring a constructivist perspective to the reading activities, in which people engage and interact with the text. An audit of practice led me to consider adapting resources and creating games. I hoped to try out different teaching strategies: Paired Reading and Staged Reading.
I developed a diary format for learners to record their interactions with texts and to encourage creative writing. Specific software was useful - TextHELP [2] encouraged phonological awareness and MindManager [3] supported awareness of plot and character development. Games encouraged interaction within the group.
Responses to a questionnaire and evidence gathered before and at the end of the enquiry, allowed me to map learners' progress. My own critical reflection was supported by maintaining a journal, and I established a forum for critical friends to feed back on the project via wikispaces.
I concluded that the use of games encouraged group dynamics and critical interactions with texts. The reading diary supported learners' progress in engaging better with texts. Assistive technologies were helpful in evidencing literacy progress.
Sharon
My enquiry project asked: "Are games-based resources effective for learning or are they only serving the purpose of 'interesting hook' through 'playing'?". The data for the action enquiry included a literature review, learner questionnaires, tutor focus groups, and observations of current tutoring practice.
The most relevant literature I found was the NRDC report Greater Than the Sum [4], which highlighted the lack of games-based approaches in adult numeracy programmes and called for the development of games and simulations, in particular using ICT. Following Ollerton [5], ICT instruction can be categorised as:
1. Enabling exploration: software that enables learners to explore ideas and take control of how to use it; learners interact with the computer, using it as a resource to make decisions about how to proceed with a task.
2. Pre-programmed: learners answer questions either correctly or incorrectly. The programmes are electronic versions of textbooks that contain repetitive exercises designed to keep learners occupied by practising narrow skills.
I found that, in the groups I observed, there was no use of games which would constitute the 'enabling exploration' environment. All learners used ICT in a pre-programmed environment, which included the use of CDROMs and internet websites, such as BBC Skillswise.
Many learners struggled to understand what they were being asked to do and a fair amount of guesswork interfered with the end results, suggesting strengths where in fact there was uncertainty. The majority of tutors did not appear to follow up the approach with any other learning material, nor were they clear about the purpose of the resource.
Games were thought of as 'fun activities' rather than as having any specific learning purpose. I doubted whether anything new could be learned by such activities, if used in isolation from other teaching strategies. Nonetheless, my literature review established the value and relevance of games; it is the way in which these games are created, engaged with and used that determines the quality of the learning and teaching. The development of contextualised, explorative games for adult numeracy could benefit numeracy learning.
Undertaking this action enquiry raised my awareness of my own daily activity; I was able to make more informed decisions about resourcing, for instance, and, by reflecting on my findings with other tutors and colleagues, I feel I have moved from being a passive practitioner to a more consciously active one.
Tina
I was concerned that, as a tutor, I do not give enough emphasis to writing and I wondered whether, by encouraging learners to use ICT (in particular texting on mobile phones), I might develop their writing skills. In a beginner level ESOL group, the women all owned mobiles but had never learned to send or receive text messages. I decided to research the effect of improving writing skills by using mobile phones.
I planned a group project which included comparing the features of different phones; creating and sending messages; discussing appropriate vocabulary and punctuation. The aim over the four-week period was to produce a phone handbook, which the women had written themselves.
I gathered evaluation evidence by a number of methods including an initial questionnaire, examples of learners' writing, and critical lesson reviews. After the project, we collected information via a learners' survey. I found that all the women had used text messaging outside the classroom.
Many learners expressed a sense of pride in being able to text their tutor and friends, receive messages back and read them. All said their confidence about writing had increased. Some said they liked making their book about their own phone. They made the point that, because they had created it, they could read it.
Text messaging reinforces behaviours by providing instant feedback and information sharing. It is personal and convenient and has the potential to benefit everyone. I believe that mastering this can help develop writing in general, perhaps using computers. As a result of this project, the learners are much more interested in writing, and they are producing longer more detailed scripts.
This action enquiry has changed the learners' and volunteers' perspectives, as well as my own, and I hope to continue to develop writing by using mobile phone texting as an entry point to using a computer.