Transforming Practice Jean Dourneen

1. Transforming PracticeJean Dourneen GTE Conference 25th January 2008

2. Context Jean – MSc assignment– observation of Sasha’s 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’ Jean’s introduction to research

3. 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 Tess’s lessons and interview Discussed each other’s notes – decision to focus on one point in activity Sasha – closer analysis of one point in activity Jean – analysis of similar instances in students’ lessons 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

4. The university session Framework Immersion (in paradigmatic activity) • 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 Critical Framing Overt Instruction Transformation Cope and Kalantzis (2000) 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.

5. The students’ lessons and interview • Observations audio recorded • Alex’s 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

6. Alex’s lesson • Focus on one intervention: ‘(Following discussion of the need to focus on one word) • What’s the most important word in that stanza? P. Dingy • OK so what can you do with those words to make them effective? • We could have a dark coloured background • I think that’s a good idea’ • Alex’s pupils’ PowerPoint

7. Tess’s lesson • Focus on one intervention: T. So what’s going to be on your first slide? B. The first slide we’ve got the green lake was big so we’re expressing how big it was T. Can you tell me what’s going to happen with the words on your screen? B. Yeah, it’s gonna get massive • Tess’s pupils’ PowerPoint

8. 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 it’s a fantastic way of getting them into a text, getting them to do very close reading without necessarily realising that they are’ Tess ‘It didn’t allow for a reading or writing level particularly’ Alex ‘I think I would use it again, especially for revision giving them themes to look at or sections of chapters’ Alex

9. 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

10. Theoretical Framework New London Group 2000 Loughran 2006 reflections

11. 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

12. 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?)

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