What Is the Role of Teachers' Professionalism in Changing Their Dialogue and Argumentation Practices?

• In Event: Teacher Reflection and Shifting Instructional Practices

Abstract

This paper examines the role of professionalism in teachers’ change in practice related to dialogue and argumentation. Data were collected from 20 pre-primary and primary school teachers who participated in a PD program with an emphasis on promoting values such as tolerance, empathy, inclusion and social responsibility through dialogue and argumentation. Despite teachers receiving the same professional support, we noticed large discrepancies in the implementation of the lessons between teachers. This paper argues that the discrepancies in the implementation of the lessons lies in the notion of professionalism, accounting for teacher agency, self-efficacy and autonomy, and aims to contribute to the literature on professionalism, as the latter re-emerges as a key concept in recent teacher PD literature.

Authors

• Maria Vrikki, University of Nicosia

• Christiana Karousiou, University of Nicosia

• Maria Evagorou, University of Nicosia