01. Professional Learning and Development
Symposium
Partnership for Sustainable Transition from Teacher Education to Profession (STEP): Knowledge-building for Retaining New Teachers in an Age of Uncertainty
Chair: Sally Windsor (University of Gothenburg)
Discussant: Hannu Heikkinen (University of Jyväskylä)
A short presentation of the STEP project
The symposium is based on STEP, a research- and collaborative project that follows the first generation of students with a five-year master's education for primary school teachers in Norway during their last year of study and the first two years as teachers.
The STEP project focuses on how to retain Early Career Teachers in schools, and builds on values such as equality, multi-perspectives, competences, and collaboration. The methodology is framed by Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) combined by the approach of research circles. We combine CHAT and Research Circles (RCs) to facilitate research- and experience-based dialogues for national and international policymaking.
Primary objective: STEP will develop research- and experience-based knowledge on transition from Master Initial Teacher Education (M-ITE) into the teacher profession.
Secondary objectives:
- Identify student teachers’ expectations to the profession and school actors’ expectations to Early Career Teachers’ competence.
- Identify experiences of tension and recognition of Early Career Teachers’ competence in school.
- Ensure a continuum of professional learning for Early Career Teachers through induction and mentoring.
This multi-methodological project is funded by the Norwegian Research Association.
Different papers will introduce values, methodological perspectives and preliminary findings.
The papers are:
Paper 1: Partnership and Collaboration to Contribute to a Good Start to the Teaching Profession.
Paper 2: School Owners' Expectations to Early Career Teachers: Novices or Resource Persons?
Paper 3: School Employees' Experiences and Understanding of New Teachers' Research- and Development Competence
ReferencesAkkerman, S. F., & Bakker, A. (2011). Boundary Crossing and Boundary Objects. Review of educational research, 81(2), 132-169
Bjerkholt, E., & Stokke, H. S. (2017). Et forskende fellesskap-Forskningssirkler på t vers av læringsarenaene i lærerutdanningene. Norsk Pedagogisk Tidsskrift, 101(2), 157-168. Doi: 10.1826/issn.1504-2987-2017-02-05.
Engestrøm, Y. (2001). Expansive learning at work. Toward an activity-theoretical reconceptualization. Institute of Education, University of London.
Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by expanding. Helsinki: Orienta-Konsultitoy.
Olsen, Knut-Rune et al. (2022) Lærerstudenters forventninger til arbeidet som profesjonelle lærere i skolen, Skriftserien fra Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge, nr. 105 https://openarchive.usn.no/usn-xmlui/handle/11250/3028158
Røise, P. & Bjerkholt, E. (2020). Frigjørende deltakelse i en forskningssirkel om faget utdanningsvalg. Forskning og Forandring, 3(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.23865/fof.v3.2160
See individual presentations
Presentations of the Symposium
1. Partnership and Collaboration to Contribute to a Good Start to the Teaching Profession.
Sissel Havre (Union of Education Norway), Gunn Gallavara (Union of Education Norway), Mathias Kristiansen (Norwegian Teacher Student Union), Jorun Sandsmark (The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities)
The shortages of qualified teachers, as well as the challenges in the recruitment and retention of teachers that we are facing in Norway as in the rest of Europe, reflect the imperative need to raise the attractiveness of the teaching profession and improve the retention of teachers in their profession. The main causes identified for leaving the teaching profession within the first years of practice are the feelings of isolation and the lack of support that many new teachers experiences when they start working. The partners in STEP represent different perspectives in a diverse educational community. Common to all of us is a desire to contribute to an attractive teaching profession. We believe there is potential in building a bridge between teacher training and the profession to make the transition as smooth as possible and that new teachers experience further professionalization in the profession from the very start.
The novelty of STEP is the unique collaboration between researchers and stakeholders, the combination of research- and experienced based knowledge and the knowledge of policymaking in Norway and internationally. STEP aims to develop a model for collaboration between researchers and partners/stakeholders on research- and experience-based policymaking and thereby to facilitate dialogues on policymaking both nationally and internationally. In the Nordic countries, we have a long tradition of tripartite cooperation between authorities, employers, and trade unions to make good decisions. These experiences form an important background for the collaborative work in this project. The partners in STEP are together with other stakeholders now in a process to develop the national framework for mentoring new teachers in Norway. Contributing to research to develop these frameworks is also one of the aims in STEP.
In this presentation we will highlight how cooperation between an employer organization, teacher union and student organization contribute to a more complex dialogue and understanding of both local, national, and international context and research. This diversity presents various legitimate interests which may cause tensions but also growth, different perspectives, and possibilities to understand complexity. We will also elaborate on what is distinctive about the teaching profession that makes professional mentoring of new teachers an important measure.
References:
Aaltonen, Bäckström, Ernestam, Harsvik, Hauksson, Salmonsen, Salo, Wettendorff (2023). Teacher shortage in the Nordic countries. Comparing the current situation. NLS. DOI: teacher_shortage_nls-report_2023_final.pdf . Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101. Delhaxhe, Arlette, Birch, Peter, Piedrafita Tremosa, Sonia, Davydovskaia, Olg, Bourgeois, Ania, Balcon, Marie-Pascale (2018). Eurydice. DOI: Teaching careers in Europe - Publications Office of the EU (europa.eu) Olsen, K-R., Bjerkholt, E. & Heikkinen, H.L.T. (Eds.)(2020). New teachers in the Nordic Countries – Ecologies of mentoring and induction. Oslo: Cappelen Damm Akademisk open access. Shanks, R., Attard Tonna, M., Krøjgaard, F., Paaske, K., Robson, D., & Bjerkholt, E. (2020). A comparative study of mentoring for new teachers. Professional Development in Education. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2020.1744684
2. School Owners' Expectations to Early Career Teachers: Novices or Resource Persons?
Eva Merete Bjerkholt (University of South-Eastern Norway), Knut-Rune Olsen (University of South-Eastern Norway), Tonje Harbek Brokke (University of South-Eastern Norway)
This presentation is based on interviews with representatives of municipalities as school owners. The interviews were conducted in the spring of 2023 based on a semi-structured interview guide with the following questions:
- In the autumn of 2022, the first cohort of the five-year master's education for primary school teachers started to work in schools. What expectations do you have in the short and long term (time interval of up to five years) to this new generation of schoolteachers compared with previous cohorts?
- How can you, as a representative of the school owner, help to ensure that NQTs are offered mentoring and induction in line with the national principles and obligations for the supervision of NQTs?
- Based on the induction schemes you have had in your municipality until now, what changes might be appropriate with regard to this new generation of teachers?
- Which factors related to school culture and management at school level do you think have the greatest significance with regard to NQTs development and learning in the short and long term?
- What role and significance do you think mentoring as a professional communication genre and learning strategy can have for the NQTs in the short and long term?
The interviews have been transcribed and analyzed with reference to thematic analysis (Braun and Clark, 2006) and stepwise-deductive-inductive method (SDI) (Tjora, 2021).
We will present the main findings from the survey. Our aim is to develop research- and experience-based knowledge when it comes to the further development and implementation of the National Framework for Mentoring and Induction for NQTs.
References:
Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2018). Doing interviews (Vol. 2). Sage.
Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017) Thematic analysis, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12:3, 297-298, DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2016.1262613
Olsen, Knut-Rune et al. (2022) Lærerstudenters forventninger til arbeidet som profesjonelle lærere i skolen, Skriftserien fra Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge, nr. 105 https://openarchive.usn.no/usn-xmlui/handle/11250/3028158
Olsen, K-R., Bjerkholt, E. & Heikkinen, H.L.T. (Eds.)(2020). New teachers in the Nordic Countries - Ecologies of mentoring and induction. Oslo: Cappelen Damm Akademisk open access
Tjora, A. (2019) Qualitative Research as Stepwise-Deductive Induction. London: Routledge
3. School Employees' Experiences and Understanding of New Teachers' Research- and Development Competence
Remi Skytterstad (UiT - The Arctic University of Norway), Janne Madsen (University of South-Eastern Norway), Lena Khenriksen (University of South-Eastern Norway)
Norway reformed its teacher education to a five-year master’s degree in 2017 and newly qualified teachers (NQTS) now graduate with research and development (R&D) competence. R&D competence aims to enable NQTs to use theories of science and research methodologies to evaluate and use research to develop themselves, their teaching, and the schools they work at (Toom et al., 2010).
Schaefer et al. (2012) argue that we must change our focus from retaining NQTs, to sustaining them, and Kelchtermans (2017, p. 961) deconstruct the challenge of teacher attrition as “…the need to prevent good teachers from leaving the job for the wrong reasons”. Additionally, Bjørndal et al. (2020) found that NQTs from a piloted five-year teacher education experienced challenges in engaging in systematic research work due to workload and stress. The reform necessitates examining how the school support, develop, and apply NQTs’ R&D competence in their induction to professional life.
I analyze semi-structured qualitative interviews (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2018) of eight NQTs, eight mentors, 16 colleagues, and seven principals from eight municipalities using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The theory of practice architectures (TPA) (Kemmis & Grootenboer, 2008) is used as an analytical lens. TPA posits that practices are social, situated, and shaped by three mutually influencing arrangements: the cultural-discursive, the material-economic, and the social-political (Kemmis & Grootenboer, 2008). By analyzing these arrangements and their accompanying sayings, doings, and relatings, I identify and describe the prevalent practices that prefigure the support, development, and application of NQTs’ R&D competence.
In line with the theme of “Education in an Age of Uncertainty”, I expect to uncover discrepancies between the established traditions of school development and the evolution of the teacher education, where the schools have not been able to utilize and create a “niche” (Heikkinen, 2020) for the R&D competence of NQTs. The analysis is expected to clarify the diverse and contrasting perspectives among the school employees and the NQTs about the value of R&D competence in the teacher profession. This includes insights into sayings that reflect different attitudes towards the relevancy of R&D competence, doings consisting of practical actions the schools have or have not implemented for the support, development, and application of R&D competence, and relatings which highlight interpersonal dynamics between new and older teachers. Further this paper discusses how we can sustain NQTs by positioning them as valuable contributors.
References:
Bjørndal, K. E. W., Antonsen, Y., & Jakhelln, R. (2020). FoU-kompetansen til nyutdannede grunnskolelærere – grunnlag for skoleutvikling? Acta Didactica Norden, 14(2), 1 - 20. https://doi.org/10.5617/adno.7917
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brinkmann, S., & Kvale, S. (2018). Doing Interviews. SAGE Publications Ltd. http://digital.casalini.it/9781526426093
Heikkinen, H. L. (2020). Understanding mentoring within an ecosystem of practices. New teachers in Nordic countries: ecologies of mentoring and induction.
Kelchtermans, G. (2017). ‘Should I stay or should I go?’: unpacking teacher attrition/retention as an educational issue. Teachers and Teaching, 23(8), 961-977. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2017.1379793
Kemmis, S., & Grootenboer, P. (2008). Situation praxis in practic. In S. Kemmis & T. J. Smith (Eds.), Enabling praxis: Challenges for education (pedagory, education and praxis) (pp. 37‐62). Sense Publishers.
Schaefer, L., Long, J. S., & Clandinin, D. J. (2012). Questioning the research on early career teacher attrition and retention. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 58(1), 106- 121. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v58i1.55559
Toom, A., Kynäslahti, H., Krokfors, L., Jyrhämä, R., Byman, R., Stenberg, K., Maaranen, K., & Kansanen, P. (2010). Experiences of a Research‐based Approach to Teacher Education: suggestions for future policies. European Journal of Education, 45(2), 331-344. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-3435.2010.01432.x
01. Professional Learning and Development
Paper
Early Childhood Teachers improving Communication with Young Children using a given model of Professional Learning.
Karin Roennerman
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Presenting Author: Roennerman, Karin
It is well known that communication with young children improve their reading and writing skills later in life. Reading books to children is an established routine in early childhood education. Other routines are using the circle time for communication about daily activities. In Sweden language support is highly emphasized very much due to different international testing results, such as PISA, PEARLS and others. A quick glance at the website by the Swedish National School Research Institute shows that all systematic research overviews are often directed towards students learning, e.g. focused on student’s learning to read in early years or on how to support children with another mother tongue e.g. language development and social inclusion (Skolforskningsinstitutet, n.y). In other words, very much is said on what to do, but seldom how to do it. This paper focuses on how through professional learning meetings, as part of a model of action research, early childhood teachers developed deeper understandings about their communication support with children in every-day ‘classroom’ situations. The theory of practice architectures (TPA) is used as a theoretical resource to understand the nature and conditions of promise and possibility that action research provides for learners and leaders of professional learning (Kemmis et al., 2014; Rönnerman et al., 2015).
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedIn this study, communication patterns were studied by using a proven observation tool based on language research and developed by (Dockrell et al., 2015). We took this protocol a step further by combining it with action research with a focus on everyday practices that gave the early childhood teachers’ possibilities to discuss and reflect on what happens in communication with the children. This, in turn, made it possible to find ways to understand and change their communication practices at the site. The model developed is called ELSA (Early Language Support Activities) (Rönnerman & Nordberg, 2022) and was used in two preschools (children 1-5 years old). In short, the model consists of four main phases: i) the early childhood teachers choose a routine situation (here the circle time) and videotaped it; ii) the team watched the video and registered observations in the observation tool, consisting of three dimensions physical, didactic, and social, iii) the team decided on an area to improve that would be followed by actions, data gathering and reflections together with a facilitator/researcher, iv) after six to eight weeks the phases were repeated from i). All conversations with the facilitator were conducted and recorded via zoom (due to the pandemic).
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsAs an analytic framework, TPA showed that the early childhood teachers changed the practice of the circle time in response to the site and where children gathered in smaller groups. In the group teachers used alternative ways of telling a story, for example, by using felt figures as characters on a board to dramatize the story instead of always reading it. Later, in one setting, teachers noticed that children began to mimic the practice, for instance, one child would gather a group of children around her and retold the story by using the same felt figures. Conclusions for the teachers professional learning show three findings concerning the physical, didactic, and social dimensions. First, that the changed physical set ups of the small group circle time formed new material-economic arrangements that influenced the interactional possibilities and communicative development for the children; that at the level of the didactic, the language and discourses about children’s communication practices used by the teachers changed in both the professional and classroom practices; and that the social-political arrangements employed by action research through learning together as a teaching team shifted the power balances. In conclusion, through changed practice architectures participants developed increased awareness of themselves as educators, learned, that the communicative development among the children can be supported and developed by circle time, and the interaction and communication practices between the teacher team were enhanced through the realization of the importance of a structure in developing their communication patterns.
ReferencesDockrell, J.E., Bakopoulou, J., Law, J., Spencer, S., & Lindsay, G., (2015). Capturing communication supporting classrooms: The development of a tool and feasibility study. Child Language Teaching and Therapy 31(3),271-286. doi: 0.1177/0265659015572165
Kemmis, S., Wilkinson, J., Edwards-Groves, C., Hardy, I., Grootenboer, P. & Bristol, L. (2014) Changing Practices, Changing Education. Springer.
Rönnerman, K. (2022). Aktionsforskning: Vad? Hur? Varför? [Action Research What? How? Why?] Studentlitteratur.
Rönnerman, K. & Nordberg, A. (2022). Språkstöd i förskolan genom aktionsforskning. ELSA-modellen i praktiken. (Language support through action research. Practicing the ELSA-model]. Lärarförlaget.
Rönnerman, K., Edwards-Groves, C., & Grootenboer, P. (2017). The practice architectures of middle leading in early childhood education. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy 11(8), 2-20. doi.org/10.1186/s40723-017-0032-z
Skolforskningsinstitutet (ny). https://www.skolfi.se/
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