ACTION RESEARCH BUILT ON UNCERTAIN FOUNDATIONS: THE INTERNSHIP AND ACTION-RESEARCH IN A GRADUATE TEACHING DEGREE

Authors

  • Tony Loughland University of Sydney, Australia
  • Margo Bowen New South Wales Department of Education and Communities

Keywords:

Action Research, Teaching Internship, Graduate Teaching Courses, Phronesis, Mode 3 Knowledge Production

Abstract

This paper analyses the uncertain foundations of the use of action research in a graduate teaching degree. This analysis is conducted by the course coordinator in partnership with a recent graduate. The uncertainty is traced to the pedagogical incoherence of the course that is caused by philosophical infidelity. The philosophy and practice of the course is informed by both the Scholar Teacher and Reflective Practitioner models of teacher education (after Connell, 2009). It is argued that these models are incommensurable and lead to a poor use of action research during the internship of the course. The conclusion is that action research would be more productively deployed if a phronetic model of teacher education underpins the course. This phronetic model would benefit from the recognition of the benefits of a Mode 3 conceptualization of knowledge production (after Groundwater-Smith & Mockler, 2009).

RECHERCHE-ACTION ÉLABORÉE SUR DES BASES INCERTAINES: LE STAGE ET LA RECHERCHE-ACTION DANS LES PROGRAMMES DE MAÎTRISE EN ENSEIGNEMENT 

Cet article explore les bases incertaines sur lesquelles repose la recherche-action dans les programmes de maîtrise en enseignement. Il cible son analyse sur un programme de maîtrise en enseignement offert en Australie, analyse pilotée par un coordonnateur du programme et un étudiant récemment gradué de ce programme. L’incertitude trouve son origine dans une incohérence structurelle du programme, incohérence créée par l’influence de diverses philosophies hétéroclites de la formation des enseignants. La philosophie et la mise en pratique du programme s’inspirent à la fois du modèle de l’enseignant chercheur et du concept du praticien réflexif, approches du domaine de l’éducation. Les auteurs soutiennent que ces modèles sont incommensurables et engendrent une mauvaise utilisation de la recherche-action lors des stages faisant partie du programme. La recherche-action serait plus authentique si un modèle phronétique de la formation des enseignants soutenait le programme dans son ensemble plutôt que seulement le dernier stage. Ce modèle phronétique demeurera un ideal puisque l’hégémonie néo-libérale actuelle préconise une action rationnelle en finalité, associée à l’atteinte de normes de graduation, plutôt qu’une rationalité spécifique aux valeurs, nécessaire au développement d’habitudes de vie propres à la pratique phronétique.

Author Biographies

Tony Loughland, University of Sydney, Australia

Tony Loughland commenced his teaching career with a desire to ameliorate the disadvantages caused by social class through pedagoy. This journey has taken him through a teaching career in primary schools through to an academic career focusing on sociology, pedagogy and models of effective learning for pre-service and practising teachers.

Margo Bowen, New South Wales Department of Education and Communities

Margo Bowen is the enrichment officer and drama teacher at Turramurra High School in Sydney, Australia. In her role as enrichment officer, she is leading school wide teaching and learning initiatives. Her latest initiative is creating a cross-correlations marking schemes to implement cross-curriculum projects in Year 10.

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Published

2013-01-03

How to Cite

Loughland, T., & Bowen, M. (2013). ACTION RESEARCH BUILT ON UNCERTAIN FOUNDATIONS: THE INTERNSHIP AND ACTION-RESEARCH IN A GRADUATE TEACHING DEGREE. McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 47(3). Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/8844

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Articles