Transformative Teacher Education for the 21st Century on the Highway to Teaching Through Coaching

• In Event: The Role of Practice in Transformative Teacher Education for the 21st Century

Abstract

Despite worldwide calls for research-oriented teaching, teacher education has traditionally been practice-centred. In Switzerland, the current teacher shortage has led to lower admission hurdles to teacher education and to an emphasis on a learning-by-doing model as opposed to research-based activities. Since 2011, the Zurich University of Teacher Education offers training programs for candidates over 30 years of age with former experience in the labour market. The training focuses on a strong connection between theory- and practice-based learning and on guided reflection through mentoring and coaching. It comprises one year at the university and subsequent phases of workplace learning in schools. In our paper, we address the following research questions: What are the second-career teachers’ beliefs regarding learning? How do students’ and mentors’ perceive students’ workplace and transformative learning? How can alternative teacher training programs be designed in order to strengthen reflection, transformative and transfer learning, while concurrently enhancing students’ teaching competencies? What can we learn for teacher education in general?

For this purpose, we focus on different theoretical perspectives: 1) the “policy aspect” related to alternative certification, life-long learning and professional development (Cochran-Smith & Villegas, 2014; Martin, Kragler, Quatroche & Bauserman, 2014), and 2) the “learning aspect”, including previous experiences, biography, (in)formal and transformational learning processes, as well as supervision of workplace learning (Darling-Hammond, Chung & Frelow, 2002). Transformational learning is a process through which learners become more self-aware, open to other viewpoints, critically reflective and emotionally capable of change. The process often begins with a “disorienting dilemma” (Mezirow, 2000; Cranton & King, 2003). Workplace-learning refers to spaces of learning, (in-)formal learning processes, transfer processes and competence development (Malloch, Cairns, Evans & O’Connor, 2013). It is based on traditional theories, such as learning by doing (Argyris & Schön, 1978), co-constructivist learning (Rogoff, 1995) and communities of practice (Wenger, 1998). Current approaches focus on the mutual relationship between the individual actor and the work context, as well as the reciprocal nature of mentoring and coaching (Billett, 2004).

In our study, we refer to a longitudinal study on second career teachers’ learning processes, comprising quantitative and qualitative data. The sample consists of 373 teachers whose competence development has been assessed on a regular basis. The results show different patterns of career change. The choice of teaching as a second career is often based on transformational learning and experiences, such as a personal or vocational crisis, search for meaningfulness in a new profession, the upbringing of children, job security or compatibility of family and career. During their studies, teachers show a substantial growth of competencies. Their teacher efficacy and beliefs related to learning have a strong impact on their competence development. In the job-integrated study phase, they use different learning approaches and attribute a high amount of their learning to coaching. However, it seems to be challenging to support the second career teacher’s transformational and transfer learning from their previous profession to teaching. As a consequence, specific coaching concepts programs are needed.

Authors

• Christine Bieri Buschor, Zurich University of Teacher Education

• Esther Kamm, Zurich University of Teacher Education