Department of Educational Psychology

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Browsing Department of Educational Psychology by Subject "Activity theory"

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    Professional Learning Communities’ role in high school teachers’ professional learning at a private school in the Western Cape
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) Snyders, Estelle Martha; Dreyer, Lorna; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Education is seen by most governments as an area that must be highly regulated and prescribed to serve national interests. Consequently, top-down professional development programmes have become the norm. This highly prescriptive environment threatens to diminish teacher professionalism, and at the same time, struggles to deliver effective career-long teacher professional learning or improved learner achievement because uniformity of knowledge is assumed when the aim is the transmission or transfer of knowledge and internalization. Such a situation does not serve the multifarious contexts and needs that exist in our schools today. Career-long professional learning is commonly advocated for in-service teachers and this case study intended to show that Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), as seen through the lens of activity theory, could serve those learning needs well. Teachers’ classroom practice and professionalism have regularly been mentioned in publications since 1990 and the literature suggests that professional learning through participation plays a crucial role in both of these. The objective of this research study was thus to explore how the participants learn and to discover the gap between current learning practices and the potential for professional learning in a Professional Learning Community. Positioned within qualitative research, this single case study design viewed Professional Development in Education through the lens of Y. Engeström’s (1987) activity theory, which propounds a cultural historical approach to learning in which teachers see themselves as one, constantly transforming point of an integrated system of learning. A constructivist paradigm thus guided data collection and analysis. Seven teachers who had exhibited an active interest in independent professional learning and development were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion and four questionnaires. Data were analysed by coding themes, which formed the basis of this case study’s findings and recommendations. Prior to theme development, the definitions of key terms were clarified to reflect the constructivist paradigm of this case study The following key findings were revealed by the data. There was paradigmatic dissonance between the three educational activity systems, namely the national government DBE, the provincial WCED and the school. The learning community within which the participants learnt professionally qualified as a Professional Learning Community, even though they did not call themselves so. The Professional Learning Community had a distinct culture which allowed the participants to communicate effectively. However, it also had a limiting effect on professional learning because layered development had resulted in several shared horizons. The Professional Learning Community played a positive role in collegial support because the participants saw themselves as a community. However, if the Professional Learning Community were to mature, it would need long-term support. The participants learnt formally and informally, although the role of reflection and collaboration in their learning could be further developed. The participants took collective responsibility for their learners’ learning. The implication for teachers’ professional learning lies in establishing and fostering a culture of engaging in Professional Learning Communities. The revitalised professional rigour that goes with professional learning and development leads to the development of teacher agency which in turn facilitates professional decision-making, effective classroom practice and enhanced learner achievement. Adaptability is one of the key characteristics of a modern teacher; the modern classroom is such a complex environment in which teachers must operate effectively that they have to be able to construct knowledge flexibly.