A Meta-Synthesis of Professional Development Research on Classroom Talk: Exploring Teachers' Beliefs and Practices Alignment

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Division K Roundtable Session 4

Abstract

Recent research suggests that teachers have continued to resist abandoning practices rooted in traditional forms of classroom talk, despite professional development attempts to introduce more dialogic strategies. This meta-synthesis examines qualitative research on two approaches to improving classroom talk to determine whether or not the professional development curricula is contributing to this issue. The researchers use a Bakhtinian framework to analyze the original data to identify the professional development research as ontologically (considers teacher beliefs and practices) or instrumentally (only considers practices) oriented. Although the study is still in the data collection and analysis phase, the findings may yield significant insight into the role professional development approaches play in influencing teachers’ use of dialogic practices.

Authors

• Jeffry King, Texas State University

• Madelyn Buhrdorf-Williams, Texas State University