Investigating Student Teacher Professional Development through Q-Methodology

A presentation demonstrating how Q-methodology can be used as a tool to identify the phase of professional development of student teachers, especially those of priority subjects.

By

Christopher Vincent & Liz Smith

School Environment, Education and DevelopmentThe University of Manchester

Contents

• Background

• Q-Methodology

• The study

• Findings

• Possible Uses

Background

Priority subjects in England are:

• Physics• Chemistry• Mathematics• Modern Foreign Languages

(DfE, 2012)

Most recent survey data indicates that teachers of shortage subjects have higher turnover rates (Allen et al., 2012) and significant levels of waste, especially from early professionals (Smithers and Robinson, 2003;2004;2008)

How are these subjects different to the others?

Background

Professional Development:

In training, student teachers are said to transition through ‘Phases’ of professional development which are oriented to focus on:

• Survival• Pedagogy• Professionalism

(Tann, 1994)

Are certain people not able to transition through these phases effectively?

Do particular subject specialists need tailored help to encourage these transitions?

Background

The example of Physics:

What draws people to physics is often the love of the impersonal and the quantitative.

This is different from the desire to be with and help people that is a main motivation to teach.

Smithers and Hill (1989) devised a psychological ‘people meter’ that enabled them to place students in different subjects along a spectrum. Physics came at the impersonal end along with maths; at the opposite pole were subjects like drama and English, with of the sciences biology the most people-oriented.

Those with a higher verbal aptitude are more forward, confident and show more social dominance than those with more quantitative thought patterns (Goldman and Hudson, 1973).

Background

Values:

Are the values that experts in these subjects hold compatible with the organisational values of schools or the values necessary to teach children?

“A value is an enduring belief that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence.” (Rokeach, 1973)

Should the training of these subjects be modified to cater for these differences?

Q-Methodology

X Y

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ya

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1

2

3 10

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711

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RESEARCH TOPIC

RESEARCH QUESTION

Generating the Concourse

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-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

Most AgreeMost Disagree

Disagree AgreeNeutral

The Study

Research Topic: The Professional Development of Student Teachers.

Research Question: Can student teachers be categorised in terms of their phase of professional development by Q-methodology?

The concourse was generated from:

• Preliminary discussions with student teachers, mentors and university based tutors;• Relevant literature in the field of teacher education.

The Q-Statements covered four main areas:

• Preferred mentoring models of initial teacher training.• Desired forms of feedback.• Mentoring functions.• Personal and professional interactions.

The Q-Statements

1. Feedback should be qualitative and practical from the opinion of the mentor.

2. Feedback should be mainly based upon QTS standards.

3. Students should begin their training with the expectation of acting as professionals.

4. Mentors should initiate discussions with students on issues relating to professional conduct.

5. Sessions with mentors specifically for the planning of lessons should be arranged frequently.

6. Mentors are there to provide moral support for student teachers.

7. Mentors are there to provide facilitative information to enhance classroom practice.

8. Mentors are there to provide information to enhance quality of teaching and learning.

The Q-Statements

9. Mentors are there to provide information to enhance students’ awareness of professional responsibilities.

10. Mentors are there to help students form a professional identity.

11. Mentors should take more responsibility in lesson planning.

12. A mentor should be a role model.

13. A mentor should be an instructor.

14. A mentor should be a co-enquirer.

15. The personal relationship that a student has with his/her mentor does not affect their professional development.

16. The counselling aspect of mentoring is vital.

The Sample

• A total sample size of 16 who were split into two groups of 8

• Sample groups A and B resembled each other

• Reflective of the population of the P.G.C.E. Secondary Science group at large

Sample A:

A1 32 Male Chemistry

A2 25 Male Physics

A3 26 Female Chemistry

A4 29 Male Biology

A5 26 Female Physics

A6 25 Male Chemistry

A7 21 Female Biology

A8 24 Female Chemistry

Sample B:

B1 27 Male Physics

B2 28 Male Physics

B3 27 Female Chemistry

B4 30 Female Chemistry

B5 25 Female Biology

B6 26 Male Biology

B7 22 Male Chemistry

B8 23 Female Chemistry

Findings

Factor analysis of Sample Groups A and B resulted in four equivalent factors for each.

Investigating the pen portraits generated showed these factors to be reflective of the views that may be representative of student teachers in three phases of professional development.

• Survival Oriented• Pedagogically Oriented• Professionally Oriented

The fourth factor was determined to be reflective of student teachers transitioning from the pedagogically oriented phase to the professionally oriented phase.

Findings

List of participants in best determined developmental phases mid-trainingPhase 1Survival

Phase 2Pedagogical

Phase 2 → 3Pedagogical - Professional

Phase 3Professional

A5 A2 B2 A1B7 B1 B4 A4

A3 B8 B6A6 A7A8 B5B3

KeyPhysicsChemistryBiology

Possible Uses

Increased sample size could lead to worthwhile statistical tests for correlations between Phase of professional development and Subject specialism at various points in the training programme.

In its current form, this tool could be used to formatively evaluate what phase student teachers are in at various points during training, informing both trainers and student teachers.

This can lead to a more personalised approach to training where individual strengths or weaknesses identified in the Q-sorts can be targeted.

ReferencesAllen, R., Burgess, S. and Mayo, J. (2012). The teacher labour market, teacher turnover and disadvantaged schools: new

evidence for England. Bristol: CMPO.

Department for Education (2012). Your path to teaching shortage subjects. [online] Available at: <http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/subjects-age-groups/teach-maths/path-into-teaching.aspx> [Accessed 28 January 2014].

Goldman, R. D., and Hudson, D. J. (1973). A multivariate analysis of academic abilities and strategies for successful and unsuccessful college students in different major fields. J. Educ. Psychol. 65: 364-370.

Leeds Metropolitan University. (2014). Leeds Metropolitan Quick-Q Animation - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AejeH6jw2c&feature=youtu.be> [Accessed 10 May 2014].

Rokeach, M. (2008). Understanding Human Values: Individual and Societal. New York: Free Press.

Smithers, A. and Hill, S. (1989). ‘Recruitment to physics and maths teaching: a personality problem?’ Research Papers in Education, 4, 3-21.

Smithers, A. and Robinson, P. (2003). Factors Affecting Teachers’ Decisions to Leave the Profession. London: Department for Education and Skills.

Smithers, A. and Robinson, P. (2004). Teacher turnover, wastage and destinations. London: Department for Education and Skills.

Smithers, A. and Robinson, P. (2008). Physics in Schools IV: Supply and Retention of Teachers. Buckingham: Carmichael Press.

Tann, S., (1994). Supporting the Student Teacher in the Classroom. In: M. Wilkin and D. Sankey, eds. Collaboration and Transition in Initial Teacher Education. London: Kogan Page Limited. Ch 7.

Thank You

Any Questions?