Exploring Teacher Learning-Practice in a PBL Context for Sustainable School Development: A Case Study from South Africa
Keywords:
complexity theory; project-based learning; Q methodology; South Africa; teaching learning-practiceAbstract
Previous studies have documented the gaps between teachers’ beliefs and practices. To further explore learning among teachers, this paper conducts an exploratory study of teachers’ beliefs, examining their self-reported practices of project-based learning (PBL) in South Africa. It employs Q methodology, with 40 K–12 teachers participating ranking their most chosen practices from a set of 34 Q statements. The Q analysis results demonstrate a strong consensus regarding the participants’ self-reported practices, highlighting their use of constructivist approaches in the classroom. Due to the complex and situated environment in which teachers operate, there were several areas in which there was a consensus on less constructivist and more traditional approaches to teaching. This reveals the inherently complex, non-linear, and provisional nature of professional development. The results of the study indicate that, with supportive policies at the institutional level and ongoing professional development, teacher practices can change. There is a hope that more schools will join the efforts of implementing PBL in a systemic and systematic mode, which will allow future studies to be conducted in different contexts to expand the understanding of teachers’ beliefs and teaching practices.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.10.31
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