Atee winter 2012_empirical_study

Teaching narratives and “co-supervision” in online interactions

Maria João Loureiro e Luciana MesquitaCIDTFF/DE

Universidade de Aveiro

SFRH/BD72518/2010

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Summary

1. Aim and context

2. Context – GCOA module organization

3. Theoretical framework

4. Empirical study

5. Results

6. Reflexive thoughts

• Share and discuss an experience (case study) related with the use of networking tools for TPD– MsD program aiming preservice teachers education– “Online Learning Communities” module

• Blended learning regime (2011/12) • 10 female students, two mentors (first experience)

• “Explorando Co de Aprendizagem online” / collective blog – share and discuss

• conceptual foundations of online learning communities• pre-service teachers narratives about their internship

practices and peer feedback• communication and collaboration at a distance

– non-moderated interaction

Aim and context

Context - module organisation

Phase 1 (~ 1 month): conceptual development (post 18/10)– search and synthesise literature - online learning, learning

communities, virtual communities, students and teachers’ roles…

Phase 2: sharing and discussing teaching practices– weekly narratives about teaching practices (dyads)– “co-supervision”: provision of feedback

Phase 3: evaluation– self and hetero-assessment of the online interaction

• two rounds– final reflection

Theoretical framework (TPD)

Networking and online learning

(blogging)share / discuss teaching practices and resources

CSCW / co-teaching

Self and hetero assessment

assessment for learningcritical thinking /

questioning

Teachers’ narratives(preservice teachers)

self-awareness / metacognition

Co-supervision(peer feedback)

similar experiences / problems / solutions / practices

Active / Situated learning

with and from others (peer / m

entors)

Problem• Teachers difficulties towards reflection about their practices /

lack of empirical evidence concerning the use of ICT for TPD» (Alarcão et al., 2009, Avalos et al., 2010, Dede et al., 2006, Vieira &

Moreira, 2011…)

Aim• Evaluate to what extend do pre-services teachers narratives

and “co-supervision” promote reflection.

Research questions:• which reflection dimensions are reached in the weblog GCOA

posts?• what kinds of formative feedback are provided by the peers in

the same context?

Empirical Study

Nature of the studyQualitative exploratory single case study (Yin, 1994)

CaseDynamic of the interaction among the pre-service teachers involved in the development of a collective online blog – teaching narratives and peer-feedback

Data gathering and treatment 1. Observation (direct / mediated by the used ICT tool);2. Documental analysis - preservice teachers’ final written

reflections;3. Content analysis.

Empirical Study

Time period: Dec. 8th – January 24th

Content: 12 posts and 15 comments

Units of analysis (unit of meaning – phrase / paragraph): 277 posts and 79 comments/feedback

Analytical models

1. Reflection levels (Vieira & Moreira, 2011, Ward & McCotter, 2004)

2. Cognitive and metacognitive dimensions (McKenzie & Murphy, 2000, based on Henri, 1992)

3. Formative feedback (Alarcão, Leitão $ Roldão, 2009)

Coders: all participants were involved in the analysis results based on the mentors’ analysis / inter-reliability not

measured

Content analysis

83 / 277 units express some level of reflection centred mainly in technical aspects - teaching activities

Results (Posts - Reflection levels)

0

71

12

0

Routine Technical Dialogic Transformative

Posts about a single teaching activities (no concern about cultural, ethical or moral implications)

Posts related with students knowledge/skills and how they learn.

Examples

• “Wednesday morning begun with the distribution of Math assessment forms to each student. The contents assessed was related with: sequences, tables and graphics, multiplication table, orientation, calculations, reading and writing of numbers (…)” (Routine reflection)

• “We always choose to start by the previous knowledge of the students and we like to create debates to make them reach the conclusions by themselves and, sometimes, the concepts registered in the classes’ portfolio are structured according to what students say and conclude.” (Dialogic reflection)

Results (Posts - Reflection levels)

203

1138

180

Elementary clarification

In depth clarification

Inference Judgment Strategy

203/277 units coded as elementary clarification – low critical thinking

Information without elaboration

Conclusions based on some evidences; generalisations

Results (Posts – Cognitive dimension)

Examples - Critical thinking:

• “(…) a short story was read, ‘O Natal do rato Renato’, which portraits the Christmas Eve and the exchange of affection and mutual help (…)” (Elementary clarification)

• “Students were motivated in the activities they developed, mainly the ones related with Geography and Sciences Studies (…)” (Inference)

Results (Posts – Cognitive dimension)

16/277 units coded as elementary clarification – low level of metacognitive thinking

0

3

1

0

Evaluation Planning Regulation Self awareness

Skills

0 0

12

Person Task Strategy

Comments about the developed teaching activities aiming a given objective

Description of the activities organisation to reach the defined teaching objectives

Results (Posts – metacognitive dimension)

Knowledge

Examples – Knowledge and skills

• “(…) In order to introduce the theme, we started with real life sensations, comparing the cold we felt [the preservice teachers] in our way to the bus stop (unpleasant sensation), in the morning, with the arrival of a children dressing a warm coat (good sensation). Starting from this situation, we asked the students for the associated concepts and registered them (…)” (skills - planning)

Results (Posts – metacognitive dimension)

20

32

1

Asking for clarification

Critical asking Support / encouragement

Recomendation

Confirmation of beliefs / experienced practices

35/79 provided some kind of feedback – essentially support/encouragement

Results (Comments – feedback)

Results (Comments – feedback)

Example – Feedback

• “Very good idea the concept cartoons! Congratulations!!!” (Support / encouragement)

Reflective thoughtsNarratives / collective blog and proposed activities• promoted high level of interaction

– 277 posts and 79 comments/feedback• valued by the students and provided the use of web 2.0 tools

for TPD– “(…) we should do this [share experiences / blogginng] since

the beginning of the postgraduation (…)” (student final reflection)

• allowed self-awareness of teaching approaches (describing them) and peer support (feedback)– tags: reflection, activities, online learning communities…– “(…) the activities gave us the possibility to think about the

implemented teaching activities.” (student final reflection) – “(…) we compared our approaches with the ones of our peer”

(student final reflection)

Reflective thoughts

Level of reflection relatively low• critical thinking/metacognition and questioning (co-supervision) –

lack of experience / time constrains / difficult to achieve

Contributions• Limitation: single qualitative case study / inter-reliability• Different analytical schemes / methodological triangulation• Empirical study reinforcing the relevance of the use of ICT

(blogs) and networking for TPD

Further work• Triangulate mentors and students analysis – confidence • Improve the proposed activities (mentor moderation / set up

rules) and use them in different courses/contexts (transference)

Thanks for your attention

Maria João Loureiro

(mjoao@ua.pt)

Luciana Mesquita

(luciana.mesquita@ua.pt)

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SFRH/BD72518/2010

Reflective thoughts