How does writing for publication help professional development of teachers? A case study in China

Abstract

Publications by teachers reporting results or case studies of school-based teacher inquiry activities benchmark their professional development by indicating they have a 'stance of inquiry'. Such papers also disseminate valuable knowledge to the education community for sharing. Essay or case writing has always been a part of school-based teacher learning in China. The small-scale qualitative study reported here examines the impact of producing publications on the professional development of teachers within the context of educational reform. Findings show that producing publications contributes to teacher development in three ways. First, an expanded knowledge base gives the teachers new understandings of student-based learning. Second, teachers obtain insight into their practices by making their tacit knowledge explicit. Third, teachers have a sense of achievement by theorising personal experience. Publications serve as 'boundary objects' which can potentially help teachers achieve and develop their professionalism by disseminating individual knowledge into the public knowledge domain with transformative learning. Such developments, however, normally tend to focus on expanding local pedagogical practice. More emphasis on the notion of 'teachers as researchers' through critical reflection may help teachers perform as transformative intellectuals whilst searching for ways to retain teachers' voices in their written publications.

Time constraints experienced by female teacher researchers in Canada and Turkey: challenges to developing an autonomous professional learning mindset

“…For example, Hall (2009) notes the relationship between teacher professional learning and the obligation to disseminate completed research on teachers' motivation to make informed decisions about their practices. Similarly, Wong (2014) found that producing publications about school-based inquiries contributed to teacher professional learning regarding student learning and insights into teaching practices.…”

“…Recurring benefits and challenges in teacher research: advantages, adversities and time as a constant constraint Looking across the different ways in which teacher research is sponsored, scholars have ascertained that conducting research within supportive conditions may enable teachers to contribute to the knowledge base of educational research while enhancing their professional learning and practice (Craig 2009, Wong 2014. The advantages associated with teacher research are numerous.…”

Constructions of Social Justice, Marginalization, and Belonging

“…The issue of social justice is also hardly taught in teacher education as such, and that seems to be reflected in the ways teachers reflect on their job. Wong (2014) shows, for instance, how little engagement with the issue is to be noted in teachers' individual publications or research activities, which serve as schoolbased professional development in China. She writes: "To promote a research atmosphere in schools, local education departments and educational research institutes from the state and universities are responsible for discussing and determining research topics for some selected schools to conduct.…”

Important but challenging: Chinese in-service EFL teachers’ research attitudes in a graduate program

“…Thus, the role of research in teacher education programs remains unclear ( Aspfors and Eklund, 2017 ). Similarly, little evidence exists on the research experiences and attitudes of English teachers although English teachers are increasingly required to conduct research on their practices whether or not they enroll in degree programs ( Wong, 2014 ; Yancovic-Allen, 2018 ; Byman et al, 2020 ).…”