Putting professional learning up front: a perspective of professional development within a context of collaborative research about curriculum leadership [1] [2]

Abstract

This article addresses issues of professional development and professional learning within a context of curriculum leadership for effective learning and teaching. It refers, first, to a collaborative research project funded by the Australian Research Council, culminating in an emerging model of curriculum leadership; and, secondly, to two research-based professional development projects. The research approach used in the projects is articulated and the complex issues for professional learning are raised as a set of professional learning are raised as a set of propositions for ongoing conversation and debate. These propositions are an attempt to put professional learning up front in professional development activities.The emerging model of curriculum leadership, discussed in the article, has resulted from collaborative research work involving the Effective Learning and Teaching Unit of the Education Department of one Australian state (Queensland), teachers in Queensland schools and the authors. The collaboration has been ongoing for about 4 years and has included a significant research grant [3] to sustain the research in 1996 and 1997.

A systematic review of studies on leadership models in educational research from 1980 to 2014

“…For instance, according to Lee and Dimmock (1999: 457) curriculum leadership involved multifaceted dimensions such as “goal setting and planning; monitoring, reviewing and developing the educational programme of the school; monitoring, reviewing and developing the staff of the school; culture building; and allocating resources.” The traditional view of curriculum leadership prioritized school principals as the unique personnel responsible for developing and improving schools’ curriculum. A new understanding of curriculum leadership has adopted a distributed leadership perspective and argues that teachers and other school personnel should be involved in the decision-making processes of curriculum design (Ho, 2010; Law et al, 2007; MacPherson et al, 1998).…”

Communicating the processes and outcomes of practitioner research: an opportunity for self-indulgence or a serious professional responsibility?

“…First, in the context of limited writing space, there is the dilemma of providing a balance between description and critique (Macpherson et al, 1998). On the one hand, it is important to provide readers with enough descriptive material to allow them to follow the logic of conclusions drawn and to draw their own conclusions from the research.…”

School culture and postgraduate professional development: delineating the ‘Enabling School’

“…The school (and here Clement and Vandenberghe emphasise the SLG as crucial) needs to first create the learning opportunities and then support outcomes through a positive learning space in which the teacher can trial, extend and embed ideas. However, the importance of teachers' involvement in designing and evaluating their own professional development rather than just taking on priorities set by others-whether department, school or government-has also been repeatedly emphasised (MacPherson et al, 1998;Bolam & Weindling, 2006) and may be easier to achieve in a collegial rather than a leader/led culture.…”

“…Such approaches typically include the survey (Davies & Preston, 2002), the case study (Lewis, 2004) or a combination of survey with qualitative data (MacPherson et al, 1998). Recently there has been some encouragement for narrative inquiry exploring teachers' individual life stories and personal perspectives as a way of capturing the affective and nuanced results.…”