TY - JOUR
T1 - 'Let them fish'
T2 - Empowering student-teachers for professional development through the project approach
AU - Goh, Lay Huah
AU - Loh, Kok Cheang
N1 - Funding Information:
(1) Financial constraints: being students, they had limited funds at their disposal and financial support from the institution was limited. Financial constraint was the biggest challenge in determining the type of food and the venue for the seminar: ‘Since our budget was tight, we had to find caterers that give the cheapest price’ (Reflection/R11). In addition, they were aware that a comfortable and conducive venue would be a contributing factor for the seminar’s success. However, they decided to hold the seminar in the Institute staff development room because they ‘did not have enough budgets to do it in a grand hotel’ (Reflection/R3). At the last moment the staff development room was unavailable and they had to hold it in a smaller room.
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - This action research was a form of 'appreciative enquiry' into my practice with my group of Bachelor in Education (TESL) students. I have adopted a postmodernist approach to research as narrative; that is 'research as it is experienced' and not just 'research as it is described'. I used a project as an approach to relinquish control and empower my students to organize a seminar for their professional development. Twenty-six student-teachers (15 males and 11 females), aged around 24 years old, made up my target group. In this study, I used three data sources: student reflections, a 'post-mortem' feedback session, and a self-reflection journal. All documented reflections, communications and transcriptions were analysed to elicit patterns and conclusions from the data. A significant learning point for the student-teachers was that communication and interpersonal skills were important in getting results from the top management and people of authority. The project was a process of change and self-discovery for the student-teachers. Students had to get over their resistance towards unwanted responsibilities and accept that in the real world, irrespective of their preferences, the job has to be done. The learning points I have acquired from this action research exercise will allow me to improve the project approach and make it more effective for increased capacity-building of the future teachers in my care. This research was significant in exploring the issue of empowerment in developing the professionalism of the student-teachers..
AB - This action research was a form of 'appreciative enquiry' into my practice with my group of Bachelor in Education (TESL) students. I have adopted a postmodernist approach to research as narrative; that is 'research as it is experienced' and not just 'research as it is described'. I used a project as an approach to relinquish control and empower my students to organize a seminar for their professional development. Twenty-six student-teachers (15 males and 11 females), aged around 24 years old, made up my target group. In this study, I used three data sources: student reflections, a 'post-mortem' feedback session, and a self-reflection journal. All documented reflections, communications and transcriptions were analysed to elicit patterns and conclusions from the data. A significant learning point for the student-teachers was that communication and interpersonal skills were important in getting results from the top management and people of authority. The project was a process of change and self-discovery for the student-teachers. Students had to get over their resistance towards unwanted responsibilities and accept that in the real world, irrespective of their preferences, the job has to be done. The learning points I have acquired from this action research exercise will allow me to improve the project approach and make it more effective for increased capacity-building of the future teachers in my care. This research was significant in exploring the issue of empowerment in developing the professionalism of the student-teachers..
KW - action research
KW - empowerment
KW - professional development
KW - project
KW - subject classification codes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84878663782&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09650792.2013.789725
DO - 10.1080/09650792.2013.789725
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84878663782
SN - 0965-0792
VL - 21
SP - 202
EP - 217
JO - Educational Action Research
JF - Educational Action Research
IS - 2
ER -