The Reflective Beginner: Promoting Professional Development of Newly Qualified Teachers

Elka Yaffe, Ed.D. Thesis, University of Bath, 2003.

Abstract

The study explores the promotion of professional self-awareness of NQTs using an innovative videotaping learning strategy , during the induction year. The process describes a complex structure that focuses on facilitating reflection, deepening personal understanding and stimulating critical thinking and reflecting.

The expanded Action research accompanying the task of the Expert Pedagogical Mentors (EPMs) involves not only a basic dilemma but also many contradictions – they try to help the NQTs not only to survive but at the same time to increase their professional self-awareness. It encompasses other support cycles contextually and as a source for learning and improving.
Several aspects of educational research are dealt with: Time, the first year of teaching – a professional ZO-PED . Tool - an innovative technology, the video-glasses. Methodology, an Action research with a hermeneutic way of interpretation. Reflective Monologue, the first step to promoting professional self-awareness. Reflective Dialogue - mediating reflection to NQTs, bridging the ZO-PED.

The research questions and the structure emerged from the pilot study. It is organized in two sections, aims and objectives. Both the aims and the objectives began to formulate on the ground of several basic assumptions . The overarching aim was to explore how reflection with the help of video glasses can promote and improve professional self-awareness of NQTs. Several objectives emerged from the different phases of the study: defining dimensions of Professional Development, making ‘tacit knowledge’ explicit, enhancing ‘mediation’ and following a desired shift in ‘teachers concerns’.

A variety of theoretical perspectives were used to explore the complexity of NQTs performance and reflection. The main findings clarify ‘patches of profession’, ‘demystify’ the teaching process and show new ways to promote self-awareness and analyse Professional Development of NQTs. The findings will be illustrated by many examples. The last part will lead back to the theoretical perspectives ‘ground the findings’ by expanding the theories and explaining the knowledge we gained.

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CONTENTS


Table of contents………………………………………………................................2
Table of diagrams and figures…………………………………................................4
Terms and abbreviations…………………………………..…...................................5
Abstract………………………………………………………..................................6
Preface…………………………………………………………...............................7
1. Introduction – Rationale and Main Questions…………...….................................9

2. Theoretical Perspectives and Literature Review…………....................................17
2.1 Professional Development
2.1.1 Through time
2.1.2 In Dimensions
2.2 Vygotzky and the ZO-PED
2.3 Mediation and Teaching/Learning Activities
2.4 Reflective Teaching and Critical Pedagogy
2.4.1 Models of reflection
2.4.2 Critical thinking for complex pedagogy

3. The Background and Context…………………………………...........................33
3.1 Teacher Education in Israel
3.2 The Induction Policy and Project
3.3 Oranim – Academic College of Education
3.4 The Induction Model in Oranim– Cycles of Support
3.4.1 Weekly workshops
3.4.2 School mentors
3.4.3 An internet website – Hamama
3.4.4 Flexible support
3.4.5 Reflective video-tapes*
3.4.6 Support group management

4. Methodology, Method and Process……………………………...........................51
4.1 Qualitative Methodology in Educational Research
4.2 Expanded Action Research
4.3 The Process of Data Collection
4.3.1 History, phases and range of data
4.3.2 Stimulated-recall – levels of reflection
4.3.3 The stages: Micro-, Macro-, Meta- reflection
4.3.4 Monologues, dialogues and my research diary
4.4 The Process of Data Analysis
4.4.1 NQTs’ perspective – Micro-, Macro-reflection
4.4.2 Expert Pedagogical Mentors’ perspective-Meta-R
4.4.3 Coordinator’s/researcher’s perspective
4.5 Ethical Issues
4.6 Triangulation – Cross- references

5. Findings – Hermeneutic Interpretation……………………....................................77
5.1 Phases in the Induction Year
5.2 Organizing and Mapping the Findings
5.3 Stages of Reflection – Illustrations

6. Discussion – the Aim - Promoting Self-awareness…………................................102

7. Conclusion – The Objectives……………………………….…............................111
7.1 Self-awareness of Professional Development
7.2 Making Tacit Knowledge Explicit
7.3 Dimensions of Professional Development
7.4 Teachers’ Concerns and Professional Development
7.5 Implications and impacts of the research

8. Reflection on the Research and Recommendations………….................................120

9. References……………………………………………………..............................124

10. Appendices……………………………………………………...........................133

Table of diagrams and figures
Figure 1 - Stages in professional development of teachers…………………………....21
Figure 2 - Conceptualisation of NQTs’ professional development…………………...22
(Source-Vonk 1993)
Figure 3 - Levels in the process of learning…………………………………………...32
(Source: Korthagen, F.A.J.F. Kessely, J.P.A.M. (1999) p.10)
Figure 4 - Hierarchy of Data Collection……………………………………………....62
Figure 5 - Details of A1, A2, A3, A4 from Figure 6…………………………………..66
Figure 6 - – Cycles of Reflection in the Induction Year…………………………….....67
Figure 7 - Phases in the first year of teaching………………………………………....87
Figure 8 - Genesis of performance capacity: progression through the ZO-PED and
beyond (Source: R.Tharp and R. Gallimore “Theories of teaching as
assisted performance” in Learning to Think p.50) …………………….....................107
Diagram 1- The History of the Induction Program in Israel…………………………..59
Diagram 2 - Phases in the Research…………………………………………………..61
Diagram 3 - Stages of Reflection versus Three Dimensions of PD………………… ..93
Diagram 4 – The Process of Data Collection…………………………………...104-105
Appendix 1 – The Video-glasses…………………………………………………… 133
Appendix 2 – Cycles of Support – Oranim’s Model.………………………………..134
Appendix 3 – Feuerstein’s Schema of Mediation……………………………………135
Appendix 4 – Two aspects in Team Management.……...……………………………136
Appendix 5 – One typical Event………..……………………………………….137-147