Dialogic pedagogy in graduate teacher education research advisement: A narrative account of three teacher educators

Abstract

Research methods courses often tend to focus on transferring technical information to students rather than offer a more dialogical approach to learning (Barraket, 2005; Kilburn et al., 2014). By drawing on the concept of self-study (Bullough & Pinnegar, 2001), through personal journals and retrospective reflections, this paper explores learning activities introduced in three teacher education graduate research methods courses to support student learning beyond the mastering of research skills or techniques. Narratives of three teacher educators illustrate how teacher candidates can dialogically reflect on research-related topics with peers, bring questions forward for discussion in class and online, apply their emerging technical research skills through collective analysis of a situation, and grow collective knowledge. Teacher candidates recognize the importance of research in their work, although their passion for conducting research is influenced by varied constraints, including research design, programmatic and personal limitations.

Creating the Desire for Change in Higher Education

“…For example, the pattern of research skill development in science graduate students was investigated by analysing written research proposals to evaluate changes in quality over the course of an academic year (Timmerman, Feldon, Maher, Strickland, & Gilmore, 2013). Another example is the narrative account of three teacher educators teaching research methods using a dialogic pedagogy to tailor their instruction to their students' needs in support of them achieving the learning goals (Baxan, Pattison-Meek, & Campbell, 2020). Case study approaches such as these effectively illustrate the gradual development of certain research competences, such as using primary literature or data analysis, across time.…”

Decolonising Classroom Management and Its Political Hegemony in Universities

“…Through dialogic interactions between teachers and students, learners are encouraged to ask questions, express their opinions, and justify their thinking (Ab Wahab et al 2022). According to a study by Baxan et al (2020), this active engagement with the material allows students to critically analyse information and develop their own under-standing, effectively challenging traditional knowledge hierarchies that often marginalise certain perspectives or voices (Baxan et al 2020). Therefore, knowledge generation through dialogue provides a decolonial system in the classroom to dismantle colonial hegemony in the classroom for the purpose of effective classroom management.…”

Supervision, Advisement and Dialogic Pedagogy: present day issues and provocations for the future

“…The study by Baxan, Pattison-Meek, & Campbell (2020) explores learning activities of three teacher education graduate research methods courses aimed to support student learning beyond the mastering of research skills or techniques. Through the subtle but brilliant construction of the dialogue between their own narratives, these three Canadian teacher educators weave a tapestry of meaning making to illustrate how teachers-to-be can dialogically reflect on research-related topics with peers, bring questions forward for discussion in class and online, apply their emerging technical research skills through collective analysis of…”