Page 142 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 142
These are connected into an internally-linked structure, for which an individu-
al is prepared to constantly seek new arguments and selectively perceive and
integrate new information that is cohesive with this structure. Subjective the-
ories guide teachers’ pedagogical actions in concrete situations, but are not
very often expressed in verbalised form.
Pajares (1992) states that subjective theories are more malleable in the
‘early phase of the teaching career’, before they become highly resistant to
change. They are increasingly less adaptable the more central a “position” they
hold in the dimension of the importance of an individual’s system of person-
al beliefs. The more functionally connected they are to other beliefs, the more
centrally located they are and the more influence and consequences they have
on an individual’s other positions, values and actions. This is, of course, valid for
all subjective notions, which can be important when an individual is in the role
of a professional – a teacher.
In order to alter subjective conceptions of teachers, it would therefore be
necessary to ensure acquisition of new knowledge, but even more so new ex-
periences and a (trans)formation of values. A systematic push that would en-
142 courage gaining experience, knowledge and values is only possible through
facilitating additional professional development, which would include all of
these elements. Or even more so, a push towards self-activation of teachers to
pursue these.
Polak (1999) lists numerous authors (e.g. Yaxely, 1991; Calderhead, 1993;
Hamilton, 1993; Marton, 1994; Zeichner, 1994; Calderhead and Gates, 1995; Bell
and Gilbert, 1996; Dipardo, 1999) and emphasises that they have a common be-
lief that changes to an individual’s pedagogical approach are necessarily con-
nected to the processes of awareness, reflection and experience-based learn-
ing. These processes, without which personal and professional development
would not be possible, allow the uncovering and verbalising of personal resist-
ance, fears, negative expectations, pressures and other problems. The causes
for such resistance are most often the fear of a new and personally untested
pedagogic approach and, only rarely, objections based on expert knowledge.
Another interesting question is to what extent and in what way pedagog-
ical processes (learning, teaching) and their changes connect to those charac-
teristics of teachers that are only rarely discussed within the framework of fur-
ther education and training, even though they can be understood as part of
teachers’ professional development (e.g. flexibility and compassion). If profes-
sional development is understood in its widest scope, this also includes per-
sonal characteristics, competencies and their development. Apart from ac-
quiring knowledge and experience and (trans)forming values in the area of
understanding teaching and learning, the notions on learning and teaching
most certainly also change during the acquisition of knowledge and experi-
ences, and during the (trans)formation of values, which are not directly linked
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
al is prepared to constantly seek new arguments and selectively perceive and
integrate new information that is cohesive with this structure. Subjective the-
ories guide teachers’ pedagogical actions in concrete situations, but are not
very often expressed in verbalised form.
Pajares (1992) states that subjective theories are more malleable in the
‘early phase of the teaching career’, before they become highly resistant to
change. They are increasingly less adaptable the more central a “position” they
hold in the dimension of the importance of an individual’s system of person-
al beliefs. The more functionally connected they are to other beliefs, the more
centrally located they are and the more influence and consequences they have
on an individual’s other positions, values and actions. This is, of course, valid for
all subjective notions, which can be important when an individual is in the role
of a professional – a teacher.
In order to alter subjective conceptions of teachers, it would therefore be
necessary to ensure acquisition of new knowledge, but even more so new ex-
periences and a (trans)formation of values. A systematic push that would en-
142 courage gaining experience, knowledge and values is only possible through
facilitating additional professional development, which would include all of
these elements. Or even more so, a push towards self-activation of teachers to
pursue these.
Polak (1999) lists numerous authors (e.g. Yaxely, 1991; Calderhead, 1993;
Hamilton, 1993; Marton, 1994; Zeichner, 1994; Calderhead and Gates, 1995; Bell
and Gilbert, 1996; Dipardo, 1999) and emphasises that they have a common be-
lief that changes to an individual’s pedagogical approach are necessarily con-
nected to the processes of awareness, reflection and experience-based learn-
ing. These processes, without which personal and professional development
would not be possible, allow the uncovering and verbalising of personal resist-
ance, fears, negative expectations, pressures and other problems. The causes
for such resistance are most often the fear of a new and personally untested
pedagogic approach and, only rarely, objections based on expert knowledge.
Another interesting question is to what extent and in what way pedagog-
ical processes (learning, teaching) and their changes connect to those charac-
teristics of teachers that are only rarely discussed within the framework of fur-
ther education and training, even though they can be understood as part of
teachers’ professional development (e.g. flexibility and compassion). If profes-
sional development is understood in its widest scope, this also includes per-
sonal characteristics, competencies and their development. Apart from ac-
quiring knowledge and experience and (trans)forming values in the area of
understanding teaching and learning, the notions on learning and teaching
most certainly also change during the acquisition of knowledge and experi-
ences, and during the (trans)formation of values, which are not directly linked
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
