Teacher Collaboration in England and Shanghai: Similarities and Differences

• In Event: The Professional Learning and Development of Teachers in England and Shanghai: Opportunities and Effects

Abstract

Objectives
New paradigms of learning have shown a shift from an individual to a social view of learning (Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 1999; Sfard, 1998). Teacher collaboration thus has been promoted in many education systems to enhance their professional learning and development. The aim of this paper is to explore the similarities and differences in the nature, purposes and practices of teacher collaboration in English and Shanghai schools.
Theoretical Framework
In a social view of learning, teacher collaboration in PLD is context-specific. Considering the similarities and differences in the social historical background between China and England, Cultural Historical Activity Theory (short as CHAT) (Engerströme, 1987) is employed to analyze teacher collaborations in England and Shanghai. It helps to demonstrate how policy, education system, cultural heritage, and other cultural-historical factors influence modes of collaboration in Shanghai and English schools.
Methods
A mixed method approach is employed. The OECD survey was used as the basis of developing questions and identifying themes for exploring with teachers at different phases of schooling and experience. The quantitative data from the survey informed the similarities and differences in the form and content of teacher collaboration. It was followed by semi-structured interviews to further inquire how and why teachers collaborated in different ways.
Data Sources
The survey was completed by teachers and head teachers from 30 primary and 30 secondary schools of good reputation, in both England and Shanghai (n=120). The qualitative case study included 2 school cases, one from Shanghai and one from England, with 20 teachers from Mathematics, Sciences and English/Chinese subjects.
Results
1) The most important factors that contribute to the differences have their origins in the different policy, cultural & social backgrounds, the structures of the education systems, and the leadership traditions and approaches in schools in both jurisdictions.
2) In Shanghai and England, teachers both report ‘informal collaboration with school colleagues’ as being most frequently occurring. Teachers with responsibilities for subjects report greater hours in collaborative activities than classroom teachers.
3) The education system in Shanghai provided more opportunities for teacher collaboration. Collaborative lesson planning, mentoring, and classroom coaching are very common in most Shanghai schools but not in English schools. Teachers in Shanghai spent much more time on collaborative work than their colleagues in England.
4) In Shanghai, collaborative activities affect teaching skills, and some affect teacher commitment. While in England collaborative activities tend to support subject knowledge development, and teachers report little impact on their commitment to teaching.
Scholarly Significance
This research provided new empirical data about teacher collaboration, and reflects the strengths and weaknesses of the different purposes and forms of collaboration in professional learning and development in England and Shanghai.

Authors

• Zeng Yan

• Mary Oliver