Findings Section II
The findings from the pre- and post-evaluation forms and interviews which capture the actual reflections on practice and perceptions of value, as experienced and described by the participants.
Section 2
Of the sixteen participants, twelve returned the pre and post-evaluative forms.
The evaluative forms used helped to measure the participants’ perceptions of the value of the co-inquiry process and enabled participants to self-assess the changes (if any) between the pre and post-evaluations. In summary, these highlighted:
- changes in attitude
- knowledge
- teaching practice and/or insights into teaching
- learning engagements with students that had a potential to influence any positive student outcomes.
The findings from these forms are as follows:
(1) Changes in attitude
83% of the respondents reported that the ‘group supervision’ had helped in increasing their focus on learning outcomes. In support of this, 66 % self-reported having now moved favourably towards or having critical conversations with their peers about what constitutes quality learning evidence.
Andrea
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While all the participants’ attitudes towards peer assessment were considered valuable, no one reported initiating peer assessment over the period of this project.
50% of the respondents reported becoming more receptive to feedback about their teaching as a result of having opportunities to better examine their own attitudes towards teaching practices.
Coming together as a group of tertiary educators was seen as, “a good chance to sit and talk with other academics, listen to others’ thoughts and ideas that are different to mine”.
(2) Changes in knowledge
When considering what resources may be used to carry out self-assessment of teaching there was a varied response. Several participants talked about the use of various reflective models to aid self-assessment.
Despite no participants engaging in a peer assessment process during the duration of this project, 50% of them reported that they would anticipate being more competent in peer assessment.
41% made a positive shift from their initial self-evaluation in their understanding of professional supervision. This was supported by statements such as “I appreciate having input from others”, “useful discussion and ideas to ponder” and “good to find others in the same boat”.
Regarding the respondents’ knowledge about using action research as a tool to improve their own teaching, 66% reported that, by taking part in this group, they were now ready to use action research or do so with support.
There was no one thing that impacted on the respondents from these session but comments such as “gained confidence to be creative and innovative in my teaching”, “able to look at practice issues in a different light”, “felt supported”, “want to continue to teach with passion”, show that the respondents felt strengthened in the experiences where a certain commonality of the problems in tertiary teaching situations was able to be aired in a supportive environment.
Scott
Chris
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50% of the respondents reported increases in their confidence in engaging in discussions about teaching practice with peers. The respondents acknowledged that hearing that others have the same problems was the mitigating factor in this confidence-building. Respondents really benefited from the chance to sit and talk with other tertiary educators, listen to different thoughts and ideas in a supportive environment and be afforded a chance to consider and try solutions that could help resolve practice concerns.
(3) Changes in teaching practice and/or insights into teaching
58% of the respondents made a positive shift in their level of awareness about key or quality drivers for improving teaching. In particular, they had become more aware of student issues (students’ own readiness to learn, students who may not ‘click’ with you) and institutional issues (the value of challenging the paradigms we work under, other institutional factors). Other insights into their own teaching like the importance of lesson/teaching plans, diversity of teaching methods and self-critique all had some bearing on the potential changes that could be made.
As a result of taking part in this group, 66% of respondents reported they had gained a greater awareness about the barriers to effective teaching.
Don
Junette
Gina
Steph 2
(4) Changes in learning engagements with students that had a potential to influence any positive student outcomes.
58% of the survey respondents ranked their focus on learning outcomes higher as a result of participating in the co-inquiry group. Comments that did support an increased focus were:
- Emphasising core information I give in class
- Treating students as equals
- Focus on listening to students
- More frequent self-critique
- Maximising student involvement
- A diversity of teaching methods
- Being conscious of students’ readiness to learn
- Maintaining students’ focus on outcomes.
The following were some indicators that showed (for the participants) that teaching was impacting on learning:
- Ongoing responses from students
- Students are awake and looking interested
- By the depth of questions that students ask
- By the application of knowledge in practical/clinical environments
- By responses on student evaluations
- Student led discussion
- Positive feedback from other lecturers and students about observed post-class discussion.
Two main points that were considered as restrictive for teacher-student engagement were:
- Teaching the same way all the time
- Teachers and students too assessment-focused rather than learning-focused.
Deb
Doug