Learning experiences
What learning experiences did Delwynne engage in to address her inquiry question?
Delwynne worked closely with a group of four colleagues from Team Solutions, meeting together regularly over several months. Together, they read and discussed research and the literature that was pertinent to their inquiry questions.
Within their community of practice, they also made regular ongoing use of video. They viewed and critiqued each others’ practice as it developed, making multiple sweeps of the footage: first the facilitator would watch and critique it alone, then with one other colleague, and then with the larger group of five.
Delwynne’s use of video to critique her own practice mirrored her use of video with Kathy and Geraldine at Waiharara School as she worked with them towards making lasting change based on student needs.
As Delwynne, Kathy, and Geraldine have indicated, without the support and external viewpoint of others, they would not have perceived or understood the inconsistency between their stated beliefs and their everyday practice. And no matter how close or trusting the relationship between colleagues is, experiencing and addressing this dissonance is often an uncomfortable process.
Perpectives
Helen Timperley
Helen Timperley gives her perspective on this part of the case and on the role of dissonance in learning and improvement.
John Loughran
John Loughran gives his perspective on this part of the case and on the nature of critique in effective professional learning.
What learning experiences do you and those you work with engage in?
To what extent do you work with colleagues to explore research and the literature and to critique one another’s practice?
In the video clip on the previous screen, Delwynne talks about the “huge dissonance” that arose when friends and colleagues helped her see what was really happening in her practice.
- Have you experienced a time when it became clear that your espoused theory differed from your theory-in-use? What supported you to recognise this and to act on it?
- How can we ensure we remain open to external viewpoints and to (sometimes painful) dissonance?
- How can we resolve the tension between supporting colleagues within positive working relationships and, when necessary, challenging their assumptions and practice? How do we resolve this tension when working with teachers?
Engaging with the literature
Dissonance (pages 156–158)
Problem-based methodology (pages 139–140)
Critical friends/external partners (pages 126–130)
The importance of communities (pages 100–103)
Learning in professional communities (pages 159–161)
Professional learning communities (pages 195–202)
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