Transforming teachers’ beliefs in at-risk communities: The role of a PD model in improving teacher self-efficacy
Transforming teachers’ beliefs in at-risk communities: The role of a PD model in improving teacher self-efficacy Conference Paper
AARE 2011: Researching across boundaries
- Author(s): Quine, Janine, Warren, Elizabeth
- Published: 2011
- Publisher: Australian Association for Research in Education
Abstract: This paper examines the effectiveness of a professional learning model designed to support early years teachers to effectively teach mathematics to Indigenous students in, and from, remote and very remote communities in Queensland. All these schools are known to be educationally disadvantaged and to experience the poorest learning outcomes nationally. The situation is not improved by a revolving door of mostly inexperienced graduate teachers who are unprepared for the marked cultural, linguistic and social boundaries that exist between the majority Indigenous community and the predominantly non-Indigenous teaching community. A bank of pedagogical wisdom for non-Indigenous teachers to draw from rarely exists in these communities and access to professional development is often difficult due to the location. Low self-efficacy about their abilities to affect change in student learning can often result in teachers adopting a deficit model of teaching that further cements a cycle of student non-achievement. Effective PD is recognised globally as a key factor in shifting teachers' beliefs and attitudes about themselves and their students, on defining the goals they have for their students, which in turn influences their classroom practices. However, for change to be authentic and enduring a professional development model needs to be longer in duration and provide: extensive learning opportunities, frequent collaboration with an 'expert' in the field, regular opportunities to reflect on classroom practices and student learning, and ongoing classroom support. Data was collected from 35 teachers situated in 15 schools in the first stage of a large, four-year longitudinal study known as RoleM (Representations, oral language and engagement in Mathematics). The specific aims of RoleM are to (a) identify effective pedagogical practices that may assist young Indigenous Australian students to negotiate Western Mathematical understanding, and (b) investigate professional learning models that effectively provide the structure to support the needs and concerns of teachers within their situated context. The findings to date strongly indicate that teacher attitudes and beliefs can be transformed by a model of professional learning that enables teachers to experience repeated success in implementing a rigorous mathematics program and adopting a range of pedagogical practices. Improved student motivation, engagement and learning in mathematics, a result of changing pedagogical practices, increases teacher self-efficacy, and further enhances teacher confidence in their mathematical knowledge, teaching ability, pedagogical practices and understanding of students learning needs.