Pedagogies for Success
Enriching Inquiry Teaching Practices in Science through a Professional Learning Program
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Christina Tsaliki, Petros Kariotoglou
The study focuses on changes indicating professional learning, observed in four primary and secondary science teachers' practices regarding inquiry, both during their participation in a professional learning program and also six months after its completion. The program was a designed based research, called in service Science Teachers’ Education (STED), aiming to educate participants on current trends of science education while recording possible changes in their practices. It consisted of three phases, focusing on enabling teachers to incorporate inquiry teaching through Teaching Learning Sequences (TLS). Changes in teaching practices indicating professional learning, were captured using a semi qualitative method that utilized multiple research tools. The mixed group approach was adopted in order to identify and conceptualize common factors and conditions that facilitate learning in inquiry teaching for both educational levels. Recorded changes present similarities between the two educational levels. Results show that teachers achieved substantial understanding of inquiry teaching and thus managed to incorporate guided inquiry practices into their teaching design during the program. Findings confirmed that six months after the program, inquiry teaching practices were also implemented.
Transforming School Culture through an Urban School Students' Eyes
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dolapo Adeniji-Neill
School culture or climate is the quality and character of school life. It provides a shared sense of purpose, as well as norms and values that may serve to bind or tear apart the fabric and foundation of a school. In a broader sense, school culture is based on the partnership, cohesiveness and collaborations between “town and gown”—a colloquial term referring to the relationship between schools and communities, students, parents, faculty, administration and staff. Due to such a broad scope, it affects teaching, learning and organizational structures. Key factors affecting school culture may include, but are not limited to, perceptions of personal safety, interpersonal relationships, teaching, learning, as well as the external environment.
What Makes Doctoral Students Resilient? : Co-creating Relevant Pedagogies through Narrative Inquiry
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dr Paul Joseph Richard, Dr. Janet Mc Cray
Historically, doctoral attrition rate across the globe remains high between 40% and 50%. Prior studies on this topic have focused on practices of supervisors or on the intentions of non-completers, whilst missing the perspectives of successful PhD completers. Little research has been devoted to exploring what makes some doctoral students remain resilient and complete the degree. Resilience refers to an ability to withstand or overcome adversity and unpleasant events and successfully adapt to change and uncertainty. What personal strategies and institutional inputs, if any, may have helped them develop the grit – an ability to overcome obstacles with perseverance during challenging times, in order to reach a long-term goal? Understanding factors that develop resilience and grit, may be important to devise institutional strategies that help promote doctoral persistence and completions. We aimed to answer two research questions: What makes a doctoral student resilient during their period of study? What supervision pedagogies can be developed to help promote grit among doctoral students? Through 12 semi-structured interviews, we explored personal strategies, and identified institutional inputs that helped PhD students develop resilience. Narrative inquiry analysis revealed a range of individual and institutional factors, including those that are less explored in current studies (e.g. having a strong ‘why’ of PhD, passion for topic, financial pressures, influence of a supervisory team). In this presentation, we share the co-created pedagogies and institutional strategies based on the findings, which will be of interest to doctoral supervisors and other staff members seeking to develop resilience in their students.
