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Exploring teacher professionalism : a case study of teachers' work in curriculum planning and development
Author
Dalina Abdullah
Supervisor
Lim-Ratnam, Christina
Abstract
The realisation of any educational goal, end and purpose depends on the professionalism of teachers. Teacher professionalism, however, is a complex term with both descriptive and ideological conceptions. However, for any conception of teacher professionalism to be meaningful for teachers whose work and identity are defined by it, professionalism must also be examined through teachers' experience and enactment of it in their actual practice and work settings. Given the significance of studying teachers' experience and enactment of professionalism, this study employed a qualitative case study method to examine the work of two teams of teachers in the Humanities Department of a government funded secondary school as they planned and developed their lower secondary Humanities curriculum in the context of curriculum change. At the national level, MOE will be implementing a new Humanities Syllabus in 2013. At the school level, the school's lower secondary Integrated Humanities curriculum was to be re-conceptualised. Drawing the data from the teachers' conversations, interviews, the department's curriculum documents and observations of planning sessions and department meetings, the study specifically examined their actions and behaviours as well as the forms of knowledge and beliefs that the teachers drew upon in their work. The findings shed light on how teachers' knowledge base, their critical reflection and questioning, and their sense of collegiality within a climate of trust and security influence the teachers' demonstration of professionalism. The findings of the study could provide policy makers, teacher educators, school leaders, staff developers and heads of department insights into the kind of support they could give to continue to nurture teacher professionalism.
Date Issued
2012
Call Number
LB2806.15 Dal
Date Submitted
2012