Exploring Teacher Learning-Practice in a PBL Context for Sustainable School Development: A Case Study from South Africa

Abstract

Previous studies have documented the gaps between teachers’ beliefs and practices. To further explore learning among teachers, this paper conducts an exploratory study of teachers’ beliefs, examining their self-reported practices of project-based learning (PBL) in South Africa. It employs Q methodology, with 40 K–12 teachers participating ranking their most chosen practices from a set of 34 Q statements. The Q analysis results demonstrate a strong consensus regarding the participants’ self-reported practices, highlighting their use of constructivist approaches in the classroom. Due to the complex and situated environment in which teachers operate, there were several areas in which there was a consensus on less constructivist and more traditional approaches to teaching. This reveals the inherently complex, non-linear, and provisional nature of professional development. The results of the study indicate that, with supportive policies at the institutional level and ongoing professional development, teacher practices can change. There is a hope that more schools will join the efforts of implementing PBL in a systemic and systematic mode, which will allow future studies to be conducted in different contexts to expand the understanding of teachers’ beliefs and teaching practices.