Using Sociocultural Theory to Understand the Relationship between Teacher Change and a Science-based Professional Education Program

Abstract

This paper focuses on a model of teacher change based on a study of a science discipline-based professional education program and on an understanding of teacher change in terms of an agency|structure dialectic. Professional education programs should expand teachers' capacity to act in a range of fields. Conducted over one year, this study used sociocultural theory to examine the role of cultural schema and resources in the enactment of new pedagogical structures by two teachers who demonstrated widely variable responses to their experience of a professional chemistry education program. Hermeneutic and phenomenological methods of study supported the examination of teacher actions and narratives as sources of data. The analyses of these data sources resulted in greater understanding of the relationship between schema, resources and structure and the relationship between structure and teacher agency. Structures are dynamic and if a teacher uses a resource such as an inquiry-based instruction protocol without the attendant cultural schema such as the value of questioning then the structure that is implemented will be different from that the teacher experienced in the professional education program. This understanding supported an explanation of teacher change in terms of teacher agency that constituted our learning from the study and resulted in changes to aspects of the professional education program.

Teachers’ professional agency in contradictory times

“…This entails intentionally interacting with others as a resource for learning and acting as a support for them (Edwards, 2005;Pyhältö & Keskinen, 2012). Teachers' professional agency refers also to teacher's ability to act in new and creative ways, and even to resist external norms and regulations when they are understood to contrast or conflict with professionally justifiable action (Dovemark, 2010;Florio-Ruane, 2002;Lasky, 2005;Milne, Scantlebury, & Otieno, 2006).…”

Impact of Chemistry Teachers’ Knowledge and Practices on Student Achievement

“…There are five subscales ("What I do," "What my teacher does," and "At least one adult in home", "What my friends do in science and the "My attitude towards science") using a Likert-type scale, ranging from Almost Never (1) to Very Often (5), for the four subscales (student classroom behaviors, teacher classroom behaviors, peer involvement in science, and adulf parental support of student's science studies). Items assessing student attitudes toward science use a different five-point Likert scale, with values ranging from Strongly Disagree (I) to Strongly Agree (5). Using the Rasch model, the raw scores are converted to a hnear scale that ranges from 0-100.…”

“…Professional development programs aimed at improving teachers' content knowledge and promoting inquiry-based teaching are challenged with providing teachers content knowledge and using pedagogical approaches that model standards based instruction [5]. Studies have shown that student achievement is positively correlated to teacher content knowledge.…”

Teacher Mediated Agency in Educational Reform in China

“…It suggests that she has no intention to change. Capacity for agency involves forming intentions, setting goals and acting creatively (Milne et al 2006 ). During the observation phase, Jenny did not exhibit any agency to act in relation to the reform, as she did not pay attention to the reform agenda.…”