Pub Date : 2023-04-03DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2023.2203145
A. Rapp, Agneta Knutas
ABSTRACT Background Educational opportunities and access vary according to location. In rural areas, the cultural, social and material consequences for local communities depend on the nature and degree of support for rural schools. There is a need to understand more about how the organisation of vocational education and training (VET), and the activities within it, relate to equity. Purpose The research sought to explore how the organisation of VET in a rural area of Norway, involving collaboration between school, training agency and local businesses/institutions, constructed notions of equity in VET. Methods A case study methodology was utilised. In-depth interviews were undertaken with personnel within a rural community (staff representing the school, training agency and businesses/institutions) who were supporting a VET education programme. Data were analysed qualitatively, using a narrative synthesis procedure. Findings Detailed analysis of rich interview data indicated that strong institutional and pedagogical approaches were employed to support students throughout their VET education. According to the participants’ perceptions, the school, training agency and businesses/institutions focused on stabilising each other in the process of supporting equity in VET. Continuing ongoing work and reconstruction of traditions and routines appeared to contribute to the integration of the different actors’ work in organising equity in VET. Conclusions Our study highlights how, in a rural community, opportunities for all in VET may be constructed and reconstructed through ongoing work which is connected to the foundations of the local context. The reconstruction needs to be maintained through networks and connections within and between the school, training agency and the businesses/institutions. This, in turn, can contribute to support for culture and welfare in the community to thrive.
{"title":"Organising opportunities for all: building equity in vocational education and training","authors":"A. Rapp, Agneta Knutas","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2023.2203145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2023.2203145","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Educational opportunities and access vary according to location. In rural areas, the cultural, social and material consequences for local communities depend on the nature and degree of support for rural schools. There is a need to understand more about how the organisation of vocational education and training (VET), and the activities within it, relate to equity. Purpose The research sought to explore how the organisation of VET in a rural area of Norway, involving collaboration between school, training agency and local businesses/institutions, constructed notions of equity in VET. Methods A case study methodology was utilised. In-depth interviews were undertaken with personnel within a rural community (staff representing the school, training agency and businesses/institutions) who were supporting a VET education programme. Data were analysed qualitatively, using a narrative synthesis procedure. Findings Detailed analysis of rich interview data indicated that strong institutional and pedagogical approaches were employed to support students throughout their VET education. According to the participants’ perceptions, the school, training agency and businesses/institutions focused on stabilising each other in the process of supporting equity in VET. Continuing ongoing work and reconstruction of traditions and routines appeared to contribute to the integration of the different actors’ work in organising equity in VET. Conclusions Our study highlights how, in a rural community, opportunities for all in VET may be constructed and reconstructed through ongoing work which is connected to the foundations of the local context. The reconstruction needs to be maintained through networks and connections within and between the school, training agency and the businesses/institutions. This, in turn, can contribute to support for culture and welfare in the community to thrive.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42324073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-27DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2023.2192226
Thi Diem Hang Khong, E. Saito, I. Hardy, R. Gillies
ABSTRACT Background Although dialogue is often regarded as a vehicle for teacher professional development and learning, particularly in relation to verbal interactions between teachers, its uses remain limited. Deepening the understanding of dialogue in its fullest sense, and its potential applications in education, may help to unleash its power in supporting how teachers learn in various contexts. Purpose and sources This discussion paper aims to explore and conceptualise the complex construct of authentic dialogue for teacher professional learning. It draws on the notion of dialogue and other related concepts within the Bakhtinian tradition. For this purpose, it begins by situating this approach in the context of various views about dialogue. Forming the heart of the paper is the application of these concepts to a proposal for three channels of dialogue for teacher learning in professional contexts: dialogue with colleagues, dialogue with self, and dialogue with students. Main argument Diverging from the common notion of dialogue, Bakhtin’s dialogue connotes complexity, involving multiple perspectives from those present or absent from the dialogue, including super-addressees. Dialogue and related concepts in Bakhtin’s tradition can help us gain a fuller and more sophisticated understanding of how teachers learn through collaboration with different learning partners through space and time – including with self and students, in addition to colleagues. It is argued that adopting a Bakhtinian lens to dialogue can potentially engender complex but enriched teacher learning. Conclusion The paper offers an exploratory conceptual framework as a way of examining teacher learning through authentic dialogue. It promotes awareness of the need for researchers to sensitise themselves to the meaning of teachers’ utterances in particular contexts through time and space to better understand visible and invisible perspectives, as well as the voices influencing teachers’ words. The proposed early-stage framework has the potential to be developed and refined further through future theoretical and empirical research.
{"title":"Teacher learning through dialogue with colleagues, self and students","authors":"Thi Diem Hang Khong, E. Saito, I. Hardy, R. Gillies","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2023.2192226","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2023.2192226","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Although dialogue is often regarded as a vehicle for teacher professional development and learning, particularly in relation to verbal interactions between teachers, its uses remain limited. Deepening the understanding of dialogue in its fullest sense, and its potential applications in education, may help to unleash its power in supporting how teachers learn in various contexts. Purpose and sources This discussion paper aims to explore and conceptualise the complex construct of authentic dialogue for teacher professional learning. It draws on the notion of dialogue and other related concepts within the Bakhtinian tradition. For this purpose, it begins by situating this approach in the context of various views about dialogue. Forming the heart of the paper is the application of these concepts to a proposal for three channels of dialogue for teacher learning in professional contexts: dialogue with colleagues, dialogue with self, and dialogue with students. Main argument Diverging from the common notion of dialogue, Bakhtin’s dialogue connotes complexity, involving multiple perspectives from those present or absent from the dialogue, including super-addressees. Dialogue and related concepts in Bakhtin’s tradition can help us gain a fuller and more sophisticated understanding of how teachers learn through collaboration with different learning partners through space and time – including with self and students, in addition to colleagues. It is argued that adopting a Bakhtinian lens to dialogue can potentially engender complex but enriched teacher learning. Conclusion The paper offers an exploratory conceptual framework as a way of examining teacher learning through authentic dialogue. It promotes awareness of the need for researchers to sensitise themselves to the meaning of teachers’ utterances in particular contexts through time and space to better understand visible and invisible perspectives, as well as the voices influencing teachers’ words. The proposed early-stage framework has the potential to be developed and refined further through future theoretical and empirical research.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44402043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-20DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2023.2189433
Maite Santiago-Garabieta, Harkaitz Zubiri-Esnaola, Rocío García-Carrión, Regina Gairal-Casadó
ABSTRACT Background In linguistically diverse contexts, language learning and the building of quality relationships are key – and intertwined – educational goals. These aspects are particularly important in learning communities where the language of instruction may represent an additional language for most students. It is, therefore, essential to identify activities that promote quality interactions in the language to be learnt. Interactive Groups (IGs) is an educational action that aims to create conditions conducive to promoting relationships of solidarity, collaborative interaction, and effective participation for all learners. There is a need to investigate how IGs may be most beneficially used with languages of instruction that represent minority languages within the given sociolinguistic context and are a second language for most students, as is the case with the Basque language in the Basque Country. Purpose This exploratory case study sought (1) to explore the influence of IGs on the learning of Basque (a minority language and the language of instruction at school) as a second language for most students, and (2) to investigate the IGs in relation to students’ collegial relationships. Methods Data were collected via a total of 14 interviews with students, teachers, school staff and volunteers, along with the consideration of material from 28 IGs. In-depth qualitative analyses were conducted. Findings Analysis suggested that the increased opportunities to communicate in the classroom during IGs bolstered the levels of collaborative language learning interactions. In addition, the scaffolding and supportive exchanges between students contributed to the development of collegial friendships. Conclusion In our small-scale study, interaction in Basque and friendly collaboration between students developed and was enabled within the IGs. This highlights the potential of IGs to foster the learning of additional and minority languages, as well as to promote the growth and flourishing of positive relationships between students involved in the activities.
{"title":"Inclusivity, friendship and language learning: boosting collaboration in interactive groups","authors":"Maite Santiago-Garabieta, Harkaitz Zubiri-Esnaola, Rocío García-Carrión, Regina Gairal-Casadó","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2023.2189433","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2023.2189433","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background In linguistically diverse contexts, language learning and the building of quality relationships are key – and intertwined – educational goals. These aspects are particularly important in learning communities where the language of instruction may represent an additional language for most students. It is, therefore, essential to identify activities that promote quality interactions in the language to be learnt. Interactive Groups (IGs) is an educational action that aims to create conditions conducive to promoting relationships of solidarity, collaborative interaction, and effective participation for all learners. There is a need to investigate how IGs may be most beneficially used with languages of instruction that represent minority languages within the given sociolinguistic context and are a second language for most students, as is the case with the Basque language in the Basque Country. Purpose This exploratory case study sought (1) to explore the influence of IGs on the learning of Basque (a minority language and the language of instruction at school) as a second language for most students, and (2) to investigate the IGs in relation to students’ collegial relationships. Methods Data were collected via a total of 14 interviews with students, teachers, school staff and volunteers, along with the consideration of material from 28 IGs. In-depth qualitative analyses were conducted. Findings Analysis suggested that the increased opportunities to communicate in the classroom during IGs bolstered the levels of collaborative language learning interactions. In addition, the scaffolding and supportive exchanges between students contributed to the development of collegial friendships. Conclusion In our small-scale study, interaction in Basque and friendly collaboration between students developed and was enabled within the IGs. This highlights the potential of IGs to foster the learning of additional and minority languages, as well as to promote the growth and flourishing of positive relationships between students involved in the activities.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44886937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2023.2181202
Geertje Tijsma, E. Urias, M. Zweekhorst
ABSTRACT Background Higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly affording greater prominence to various forms of engaged education, including Community Service Learning (CSL). Embedding CSL into institutional cultures, climates and expectations so that it becomes a mainstream pedagogy is often referred to as institutionalisation. Given the growing significance of CSL within the higher education landscape, more needs to be understood about aspects that may contribute to its institutionalisation. Purpose This review study sought to gain insight into the factors that facilitate the institutionalisation of CSL, how they relate to each other, and how the institutionalisation process unfolds over time. Design and methods We conducted a systematic and configurative review of peer-reviewed literature that described the institutionalisation process in HEIs. Through a thematic analysis and synthesis, factors and related strategies that contributed to successful institutionalisation were identified and categorised. Findings Our literature analysis indicated that factors and strategies for institutionalisation of CSL can be categorised within three main phases: start-up, scale-up and sustaining. CSL can result from a top-down effort or might be initiated from the bottom up. Depending on the approach used, the strategies change accordingly. When scaling up CSL, various individuals need to decide if they want to adopt CSL; the review offers strategies to support adoption. Finally, the strategies related to the start-up and scale-up phases need to become formalised in order to sustain CSL within HEIs. Conclusion Our review resulted in a comprehensive overview of factors and related operational strategies that can contribute to the institutionalisation of CSL. By bringing the three phases and related strategies together, this review offers a synthesised view of how the institutionalisation process of CSL may be conceptualised.
{"title":"Embedding engaged education through community service learning in HEI: a review","authors":"Geertje Tijsma, E. Urias, M. Zweekhorst","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2023.2181202","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2023.2181202","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly affording greater prominence to various forms of engaged education, including Community Service Learning (CSL). Embedding CSL into institutional cultures, climates and expectations so that it becomes a mainstream pedagogy is often referred to as institutionalisation. Given the growing significance of CSL within the higher education landscape, more needs to be understood about aspects that may contribute to its institutionalisation. Purpose This review study sought to gain insight into the factors that facilitate the institutionalisation of CSL, how they relate to each other, and how the institutionalisation process unfolds over time. Design and methods We conducted a systematic and configurative review of peer-reviewed literature that described the institutionalisation process in HEIs. Through a thematic analysis and synthesis, factors and related strategies that contributed to successful institutionalisation were identified and categorised. Findings Our literature analysis indicated that factors and strategies for institutionalisation of CSL can be categorised within three main phases: start-up, scale-up and sustaining. CSL can result from a top-down effort or might be initiated from the bottom up. Depending on the approach used, the strategies change accordingly. When scaling up CSL, various individuals need to decide if they want to adopt CSL; the review offers strategies to support adoption. Finally, the strategies related to the start-up and scale-up phases need to become formalised in order to sustain CSL within HEIs. Conclusion Our review resulted in a comprehensive overview of factors and related operational strategies that can contribute to the institutionalisation of CSL. By bringing the three phases and related strategies together, this review offers a synthesised view of how the institutionalisation process of CSL may be conceptualised.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45099896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-02-23DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2023.2181201
A. Pyle, Christopher DeLuca, Hanna Wickstrom, Erica Danniels, Ellen Fesseha
ABSTRACT Background Teachers’ perspectives provide crucial insights into classroom practice in early childhood education settings. Although many kindergarten programmes emphasise play and assessment to support children’s learning and development, recent research suggests that there are some disparities between teachers’ articulated role of play and what they report assessing during periods of play. As a range of research designs can be used in efforts to probe the complex relationships between perspectives and practice, it is important to consider which methodological approach, or combination of approaches, may prove optimal in early years contexts. Purpose The study sought to explore the relative merits of using (1) semi-structured interview and (2) video-elicitation interview approaches to gain deeper understanding of the connections between teachers’ perspectives and practices within kindergarten education. Methods An in-depth, qualitative enquiry was undertaken. This included classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and video-elicitation interviews from 20 kindergarten classrooms in Ontario, Canada. Interview data were thematically analysed. Findings The analysis indicated that video-elicitation interviewing influenced the structure and content of participants’ responses when compared with semi-structured interviews, providing additional and valuable insights into the ever-present negotiation between perspectives and practice. Conclusion The study highlights how semi-structured and video-elicitation interview approaches each offer particular strengths and limitations, and can be used independently or in combination to gain a deeper understanding of the connection between teachers’ perspectives and their classroom practices. The selection of one approach, or combination of approaches, needs to be carefully aligned with the overarching research goals of a study.
{"title":"Play-based learning and assessment practices in early years: methodological explorations","authors":"A. Pyle, Christopher DeLuca, Hanna Wickstrom, Erica Danniels, Ellen Fesseha","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2023.2181201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2023.2181201","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Teachers’ perspectives provide crucial insights into classroom practice in early childhood education settings. Although many kindergarten programmes emphasise play and assessment to support children’s learning and development, recent research suggests that there are some disparities between teachers’ articulated role of play and what they report assessing during periods of play. As a range of research designs can be used in efforts to probe the complex relationships between perspectives and practice, it is important to consider which methodological approach, or combination of approaches, may prove optimal in early years contexts. Purpose The study sought to explore the relative merits of using (1) semi-structured interview and (2) video-elicitation interview approaches to gain deeper understanding of the connections between teachers’ perspectives and practices within kindergarten education. Methods An in-depth, qualitative enquiry was undertaken. This included classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and video-elicitation interviews from 20 kindergarten classrooms in Ontario, Canada. Interview data were thematically analysed. Findings The analysis indicated that video-elicitation interviewing influenced the structure and content of participants’ responses when compared with semi-structured interviews, providing additional and valuable insights into the ever-present negotiation between perspectives and practice. Conclusion The study highlights how semi-structured and video-elicitation interview approaches each offer particular strengths and limitations, and can be used independently or in combination to gain a deeper understanding of the connection between teachers’ perspectives and their classroom practices. The selection of one approach, or combination of approaches, needs to be carefully aligned with the overarching research goals of a study.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48052738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-02DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2023.2167729
Meng Chen
ABSTRACT Background Reflective teaching has long been regarded as playing an important, and potentially empowering, role in teachers’ professional learning. The study reported in this paper considered the longer-term significance of teachers’ self-reflective learning in the course of their daily emergency remote teaching during COVID-19, and how this supported teacher agency. Purpose This small-scale case study sought to explore, in depth, teachers’ perceptions of how their professional learning was realised through reflective practice during emergency remote teaching. Method Three teachers from primary, junior high, and high schools in mainland China participated in the case study during the spring and fall semesters in 2020. They considered the accommodations they made for emergency remote teaching and the corresponding implications for their professional learning and sense of agency. Data were collected via four-monthly, semi-structured interviews, resulting in a total of five interviews per teacher. These charted the progress of their emergency remote courses in the spring, and allowed for final reflections via a follow-up interview in the fall. Data were analysed thematically. Findings The resultant four themes and eight categories related to aspects including pedagogical strategies, home-school communication, classroom management, and teachers’ technological literacy. Within these, approaches to blending online and offline coursework, valuing sociocultural concerns in classroom interaction, and developing adaptive mindsets were among areas identified as relevant to teachers’ professional learning beyond the emergency remote teaching situation. Conclusions The findings highlight the multiple ways in which professional learning took place through reflective teaching in the remote teaching environment. They draw attention to the importance of situating some professional learning in everyday practice. Understandings gained during remote teaching have broader implications for educators’ professional learning and growth in pre-tertiary education.
{"title":"Teaching in emergency remote classrooms: reflections for professional learning","authors":"Meng Chen","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2023.2167729","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2023.2167729","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Reflective teaching has long been regarded as playing an important, and potentially empowering, role in teachers’ professional learning. The study reported in this paper considered the longer-term significance of teachers’ self-reflective learning in the course of their daily emergency remote teaching during COVID-19, and how this supported teacher agency. Purpose This small-scale case study sought to explore, in depth, teachers’ perceptions of how their professional learning was realised through reflective practice during emergency remote teaching. Method Three teachers from primary, junior high, and high schools in mainland China participated in the case study during the spring and fall semesters in 2020. They considered the accommodations they made for emergency remote teaching and the corresponding implications for their professional learning and sense of agency. Data were collected via four-monthly, semi-structured interviews, resulting in a total of five interviews per teacher. These charted the progress of their emergency remote courses in the spring, and allowed for final reflections via a follow-up interview in the fall. Data were analysed thematically. Findings The resultant four themes and eight categories related to aspects including pedagogical strategies, home-school communication, classroom management, and teachers’ technological literacy. Within these, approaches to blending online and offline coursework, valuing sociocultural concerns in classroom interaction, and developing adaptive mindsets were among areas identified as relevant to teachers’ professional learning beyond the emergency remote teaching situation. Conclusions The findings highlight the multiple ways in which professional learning took place through reflective teaching in the remote teaching environment. They draw attention to the importance of situating some professional learning in everyday practice. Understandings gained during remote teaching have broader implications for educators’ professional learning and growth in pre-tertiary education.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45549650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-21DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2022.2157302
H. Pirkkalainen, Ira Sood, Carmen Padron Napoles, Artturi Kukkonen, A. Camilleri
ABSTRACT Background Micro-credentials are increasingly considered a key mechanism through which to empower learners by enabling flexible upskilling and reskilling. Despite their apparent importance for higher education institutions (HEIs) and learners, empirical research is limited. More needs to be understood, particularly about the ways in which micro-credentials can shape institutional practice and provide benefits to learners. Purpose Using a foresight approach, this study sets out to explore the potential for micro-credential adoption in relation to national and international policy initiatives and rapidly developing technologies. Its intention is to offer findings of interest internationally, particularly to those involved in strategic activities around micro-credentials. Methods A four-step Delphi study approach was used to explore how micro-credentials may shape higher education (HE) in the next 5–10 years. Educational experts undertook a consensus-building activity utilising workshops and surveys: (1) initial identification of enabling factors (i.e. drivers) and beneficial outcomes (i.e. impacts) of micro-credentials; (2) prioritisation based on importance; (3) identification of enabling factors considered essential for each beneficial outcome and (4) analysis of the extent to which micro-credentials might be accepted in HE, with participants reflecting on the importance of the previously identified enablers and outcomes for alternative scenarios. Findings The analysis sheds light on three alternative possible futures for micro-credentials. Expert consensus indicated that the potential of micro-credentials lies especially among educational institutions and the networks of institutions innovating beyond, and within, traditional study offerings and programmes. Future wide-scale adoption of micro-credentials was considered unpredictable, due to external factors at the ecosystem level, and beyond institutions’ own strategies and control. Conclusion The findings suggest that, for the successful uptake of micro-credentials, the same benefits do not need to accrue for institutions and learners: a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is not necessary or optimal. In order for the wider-scale influence of micro-credentials to be felt, there is a need for considerable international and national strategy development and implementation to overcome a variety of policy- and technology-related barriers that HEIs cannot influence or tackle on their own.
{"title":"How might micro-credentials influence institutions and empower learners in higher education?","authors":"H. Pirkkalainen, Ira Sood, Carmen Padron Napoles, Artturi Kukkonen, A. Camilleri","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2022.2157302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2022.2157302","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Micro-credentials are increasingly considered a key mechanism through which to empower learners by enabling flexible upskilling and reskilling. Despite their apparent importance for higher education institutions (HEIs) and learners, empirical research is limited. More needs to be understood, particularly about the ways in which micro-credentials can shape institutional practice and provide benefits to learners. Purpose Using a foresight approach, this study sets out to explore the potential for micro-credential adoption in relation to national and international policy initiatives and rapidly developing technologies. Its intention is to offer findings of interest internationally, particularly to those involved in strategic activities around micro-credentials. Methods A four-step Delphi study approach was used to explore how micro-credentials may shape higher education (HE) in the next 5–10 years. Educational experts undertook a consensus-building activity utilising workshops and surveys: (1) initial identification of enabling factors (i.e. drivers) and beneficial outcomes (i.e. impacts) of micro-credentials; (2) prioritisation based on importance; (3) identification of enabling factors considered essential for each beneficial outcome and (4) analysis of the extent to which micro-credentials might be accepted in HE, with participants reflecting on the importance of the previously identified enablers and outcomes for alternative scenarios. Findings The analysis sheds light on three alternative possible futures for micro-credentials. Expert consensus indicated that the potential of micro-credentials lies especially among educational institutions and the networks of institutions innovating beyond, and within, traditional study offerings and programmes. Future wide-scale adoption of micro-credentials was considered unpredictable, due to external factors at the ecosystem level, and beyond institutions’ own strategies and control. Conclusion The findings suggest that, for the successful uptake of micro-credentials, the same benefits do not need to accrue for institutions and learners: a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is not necessary or optimal. In order for the wider-scale influence of micro-credentials to be felt, there is a need for considerable international and national strategy development and implementation to overcome a variety of policy- and technology-related barriers that HEIs cannot influence or tackle on their own.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2022-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43652117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-13DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2022.2154687
A. Ogegbo, Fatimah Tijani
ABSTRACT Background The coronavirus pandemic has caused a shift in how many teaching, learning and research activities are conducted internationally. Lockdowns compelled all education sectors, including higher education (HE), to adopt a variety of online learning practices at short notice. As these changes in practice have implications beyond the pandemic, more needs to be understood about settings across the globe where the move to online may pose particular challenges. This study brings a focus to how lecturers in a college of education in Nigeria responded to the professional demands of lockdowns and developed strategies for managing educational activities that have relevance during and beyond the pandemic itself. Purpose The aim of the study reported in this paper was to examine lecturers’ perceptions of the management of teaching, learning and research activities during a lockdown, drawing out longer term implications. Methods Data were collected through in-depth, one-to-one interviews with six lecturers from a college of education in Nigeria. Interview data were analysed qualitatively. Findings Detailed analysis indicated that lecturers’ strategies included encouraging students to engage in self-directed learning, as they uploaded learning materials on messaging groups and the college’s e-learning platform. However, lecturers felt that the quality of teaching and assessment was compromised by factors including: irregular power supply, poor internet connection, high data costs and some students’ limited digital skills. A particular concern was students’ lack of interaction on the online platforms, which lecturers perceived to result in a more passive teaching and learning process. Lecturers also experienced difficulties undertaking research activities. A range of strategies and implications for the ongoing management of educational activities was discussed. Conclusions The study offers insights into how some of the challenges encountered could be addressed to support sustainable online and blended teaching and learning in the longer term, in settings internationally where there are barriers to accessing online teaching and learning. Crucial aspects include strengthening educational technology training for lecturers and students, enhancing e-learning platforms for teaching practical courses, and enabling lecturers to develop beneficial and valuable online resources.
{"title":"Managing the shift to online: lecturers’ strategies during and beyond lockdown","authors":"A. Ogegbo, Fatimah Tijani","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2022.2154687","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2022.2154687","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background The coronavirus pandemic has caused a shift in how many teaching, learning and research activities are conducted internationally. Lockdowns compelled all education sectors, including higher education (HE), to adopt a variety of online learning practices at short notice. As these changes in practice have implications beyond the pandemic, more needs to be understood about settings across the globe where the move to online may pose particular challenges. This study brings a focus to how lecturers in a college of education in Nigeria responded to the professional demands of lockdowns and developed strategies for managing educational activities that have relevance during and beyond the pandemic itself. Purpose The aim of the study reported in this paper was to examine lecturers’ perceptions of the management of teaching, learning and research activities during a lockdown, drawing out longer term implications. Methods Data were collected through in-depth, one-to-one interviews with six lecturers from a college of education in Nigeria. Interview data were analysed qualitatively. Findings Detailed analysis indicated that lecturers’ strategies included encouraging students to engage in self-directed learning, as they uploaded learning materials on messaging groups and the college’s e-learning platform. However, lecturers felt that the quality of teaching and assessment was compromised by factors including: irregular power supply, poor internet connection, high data costs and some students’ limited digital skills. A particular concern was students’ lack of interaction on the online platforms, which lecturers perceived to result in a more passive teaching and learning process. Lecturers also experienced difficulties undertaking research activities. A range of strategies and implications for the ongoing management of educational activities was discussed. Conclusions The study offers insights into how some of the challenges encountered could be addressed to support sustainable online and blended teaching and learning in the longer term, in settings internationally where there are barriers to accessing online teaching and learning. Crucial aspects include strengthening educational technology training for lecturers and students, enhancing e-learning platforms for teaching practical courses, and enabling lecturers to develop beneficial and valuable online resources.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2022-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48649508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-24DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2022.2147855
Elina Fonsén, T. Szecsi, Päivi Kupila, Tarja Liinamaa, C. Halpern, Marika Repo
ABSTRACT Background Although the contexts, structures and administrations of early childhood education (ECE) may differ internationally, effective pedagogical leadership remains an essential component in supporting young children’s development and learning. This paper reports on a comparative study which considered ECE in two different settings, Finland and Florida, providing insight into teachers’ perspectives on the characteristics of pedagogical leadership. Purpose This study sought to investigate and compare the perspectives of ECE teachers and directors in Finland and Florida via their discourses about teachers’ pedagogical leadership. The goal was to provide an overview of the ECE teachers’ and directors’ discourses in each location, in order to allow comparison and a better understanding of the influence of aspects including locational contexts, curricular guidelines and teacher preparation on the ECE teachers’ and directors’ perspectives. Method A comparative case study design was used. The data consisted of semi-structured focus group interviews and individual interviews with ECE teachers and centre directors in Finland and in Florida. Data from the two locations were first analysed separately to identify the main discourses; secondly, discourses were compared collectively to reveal major themes. Findings The analysis indicated a similar conceptualisation of distributed pedagogical leadership. However, differences were identified in teachers’ expectations of independence in instructional decisions, and the extension of pedagogical leadership practices within and beyond the ECE centres. The analysis of discourses led to the identification of three major themes, which generated implications for teacher preparation, curriculum development and implementation, and ECE programme directions. Conclusion The study enables a more comprehensible conceptualisation of teachers’ pedagogical leadership as it emerged from teachers’ and directors’ discourses across two locations. Pedagogical leadership is recognised as an indicator of high-quality pedagogy in early childhood education and the findings highlight the need to continuously support and strengthen teachers’ pedagogical leadership.
{"title":"Teachers’ pedagogical leadership in early childhood education","authors":"Elina Fonsén, T. Szecsi, Päivi Kupila, Tarja Liinamaa, C. Halpern, Marika Repo","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2022.2147855","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2022.2147855","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background Although the contexts, structures and administrations of early childhood education (ECE) may differ internationally, effective pedagogical leadership remains an essential component in supporting young children’s development and learning. This paper reports on a comparative study which considered ECE in two different settings, Finland and Florida, providing insight into teachers’ perspectives on the characteristics of pedagogical leadership. Purpose This study sought to investigate and compare the perspectives of ECE teachers and directors in Finland and Florida via their discourses about teachers’ pedagogical leadership. The goal was to provide an overview of the ECE teachers’ and directors’ discourses in each location, in order to allow comparison and a better understanding of the influence of aspects including locational contexts, curricular guidelines and teacher preparation on the ECE teachers’ and directors’ perspectives. Method A comparative case study design was used. The data consisted of semi-structured focus group interviews and individual interviews with ECE teachers and centre directors in Finland and in Florida. Data from the two locations were first analysed separately to identify the main discourses; secondly, discourses were compared collectively to reveal major themes. Findings The analysis indicated a similar conceptualisation of distributed pedagogical leadership. However, differences were identified in teachers’ expectations of independence in instructional decisions, and the extension of pedagogical leadership practices within and beyond the ECE centres. The analysis of discourses led to the identification of three major themes, which generated implications for teacher preparation, curriculum development and implementation, and ECE programme directions. Conclusion The study enables a more comprehensible conceptualisation of teachers’ pedagogical leadership as it emerged from teachers’ and directors’ discourses across two locations. Pedagogical leadership is recognised as an indicator of high-quality pedagogy in early childhood education and the findings highlight the need to continuously support and strengthen teachers’ pedagogical leadership.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2022-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43951054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-24DOI: 10.1080/00131881.2022.2147854
E. Pechenkina, Elizabeth Branigan
ABSTRACT Background In higher education (HE) settings, staff and students are often end-users of a variety of educational technologies, tools and platforms, including Learning Management Systems (LMSs). As technological evolution is constant, transitioning to a new system may be a familiar occurrence. For technology to support educational purpose more fully, further insight needs to be gained into how staff and students actually experience the process of transition. This article focuses on this area in the context of institution-wide transition to a new LMS. Purpose The study’s aim was to explore how academic teaching staff and students experienced a university-wide technological change process: namely, a process of changing to a new LMS. Method Data were collected through a series of interviews with staff who were involved in the first stage of the change process. In addition, students enrolled in the first tranche of subjects undergoing transition participated in surveys. Data were analysed using a qualitative, comparative analysis approach; student and staff perspectives were compared, and the points of intersections and divergences between the viewpoints were located. Finding Detailed analysis helped identify factors that contributed to a smooth transition, while also showing how staff expectations of student behaviours and needs were not always aligned with students’ own approaches to technology-assisted teaching and learning, which tended to be predominantly pragmatic. Conclusions Feedback gleaned from investigating stakeholders’ transition experiences can contribute in a valuable way to informing change processes and support empowering change. The findings highlight how positioning LMS transition as a student-centred and education-led process, rather than as a large-scale technology project, has potential to support staff and students to have a positive and relatively seamless transition experience.
{"title":"Exploring staff and student experiences of learning management system transition","authors":"E. Pechenkina, Elizabeth Branigan","doi":"10.1080/00131881.2022.2147854","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2022.2147854","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Background In higher education (HE) settings, staff and students are often end-users of a variety of educational technologies, tools and platforms, including Learning Management Systems (LMSs). As technological evolution is constant, transitioning to a new system may be a familiar occurrence. For technology to support educational purpose more fully, further insight needs to be gained into how staff and students actually experience the process of transition. This article focuses on this area in the context of institution-wide transition to a new LMS. Purpose The study’s aim was to explore how academic teaching staff and students experienced a university-wide technological change process: namely, a process of changing to a new LMS. Method Data were collected through a series of interviews with staff who were involved in the first stage of the change process. In addition, students enrolled in the first tranche of subjects undergoing transition participated in surveys. Data were analysed using a qualitative, comparative analysis approach; student and staff perspectives were compared, and the points of intersections and divergences between the viewpoints were located. Finding Detailed analysis helped identify factors that contributed to a smooth transition, while also showing how staff expectations of student behaviours and needs were not always aligned with students’ own approaches to technology-assisted teaching and learning, which tended to be predominantly pragmatic. Conclusions Feedback gleaned from investigating stakeholders’ transition experiences can contribute in a valuable way to informing change processes and support empowering change. The findings highlight how positioning LMS transition as a student-centred and education-led process, rather than as a large-scale technology project, has potential to support staff and students to have a positive and relatively seamless transition experience.","PeriodicalId":47607,"journal":{"name":"Educational Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2022-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43148352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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