Identifier: TDX:673
Authors: Iranzo García, Maria Pilar
Abstract:
The action researcher will assume both roles one as a researcher as well as a teacher educator to analyse the inner processes that appear in the educational practice for the curriculum innovation in Elementary and Primary Education and in 'Teacher training Projects' of Catalan Department of Education taken by SEDEC (a Service for teaching Catalan in schools) and by ICE-URV (the department of teacher training of the University of Tarragona).<br/><br/>Two formative views are taken into account, one as a course, and the other as a training assessment inside the school itself in order to develop a research in terms instrumental study of multiple cases. <br/><br/>The purpose of the study is to analyse three teacher training processes (two courses and one school training assessment) based on a new curriculum about constructivist reading and writing to evaluate the teachers' professional development (as well as the researcher's herself) and to promote strategies and improving conditions.<br/><br/>More specific outstanding objectives are:<br/>(a) To understand (from the researcher-teacher's point of view):<br/> - the development process of different research actions which aim to help an innovation<br/> - the learning process , types of learning, practitioners and interaction.<br/><br/>(b)To investigate the elements of the learning process which have an influence on:<br/> - a positive reception of the innovative proposal<br/> - conceptual understanding and interest <br/> - impact and classroom application <br/> - a change of attitude according to the innovation process.<br/> - an acceptance of the teacher's role as educator and learner, researcher and reflective in present innovative processes.<br/><br/>(c) To establish links between different training experiences, their development and institutionalisation.<br/><br/>(d) To describe and assess methodological elements of the study which mean an improvement in learning and in the teacher educator's own learning.<br/><br/>From these objectives there is a theoretic investigation about:<br/>- The research programme about the 'teacher's thoughts'.<br/>- Knowledge construction in a professional education context: the connection between theory and practice and the comprehension of different 'subcultures' and ways <br/> of professional development.<br/>- The educator's role as a guide in 'new' knowledge construction.<br/>- 'Narrative' as a metacognitive, historic, social learning resort.<br/>- The elements of the curriculum innovation which refer to reading and writing.<br/>- The evaluation of the teacher education process.<br/>- The potential of different ways of teacher training: courses and school projects regarding the institutional planning for teacher education of 1997.<br/>- The different education ways and the teachers' needs: by means of three steps, information, training and self-training.<br/><br/>Regarding the specific strategies employed, an amount of information has been summarized by the practitioners:<br/><br/>- The educator, she writes reports every session.<br/>- The observers of the courses, they write descriptive reports every session.<br/>- The teachers, they do:<br/> - initial tests about curriculum and strategies.<br/> - initial questionnaires about innovation.<br/> - samples of classwork.<br/> - final evaluation (determined by SEDEC and ICE-URV).<br/> - open self-reports.<br/>- Interviews with the school headmaster.<br/>- Interviews with the observers.<br/>- Tape recording of most sessions.<br/><br/>The study provides new elements to elaborate a didactic method for 'teacher education' as well as other elements which participate in the 'teaching process'; in the educator's view as a social management of education achievement, and in the teachers' as the elements which help to assume the change from one methodology to another. Some elements are particularly relevant: narrative, action-research procedures, emotional support regarding the hesitation for changing, comprehension of the different 'subcultures' which live together in schools; all of them, regarding the potential of both education modalities which have been analysed.
Repositori URV