Abstract
This paper introduces the use of experiential learning during the early stages of teacher professional development. Teachers observe student outcomes from the very beginning of the process and experience new pedagogical approaches as learners themselves before adapting and implementing them in their own classrooms. This research explores the implementation of this approach with teachers in Irish second level schools who are being asked to make significant pedagogic changes as part of a major curriculum reform. Teachers’ self-reflections, observations and interviews demonstrate how the process and outcomes influenced their beliefs, resulting in meaningful changes in classroom practice.
Highlights
Experiential learning in teacher professional development is not a novel concept and its reported use has focused on the experience of teachers developing their practice whilst in the classroom: experimenting, reflecting and adapting new theories, practices and content they have been introduced to in their own professional context
This paper presents a three phase approach to teacher professional development for the introduction and adoption of innovative pedagogic practices, which is theoretically underpinned by experiential learning
Traditional models of teacher professional development have been characterised as teacher-centred, focusing on the transmission of information to teachers with an assumption that the learning which occurs for teachers is an individual process that leads to an immediate change in their practice and the ability to apply the new approach in a variety of contexts (e.g. Bausmith & Barry, 2011)
Summary
Experiential learning in teacher professional development is not a novel concept and its reported use has focused on the experience of teachers developing their practice whilst in the classroom: experimenting, reflecting and adapting new theories, practices and content they have been introduced to in their own professional context. This process can be individual with reflection used as a tool for self-direction (Minott, 2010) or shared through professional development activities such as lesson study (Fernandez, 2002) and participation in professional learning communities. This risks the alienation of teachers from the very start of the professional development process which will negatively impact any reform attempts
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