Chapter 5: Discussion
5.5. Revisiting Research Questions
TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
52 The findings of the studied are linked directly to the guiding questions of the study in the section below.
5.5.1. What are the attitudes, knowledge and skills needed for collaborative professional learning?
Overall, participants of the study expressed positive attitudes towards collaborative professional development. The vast majority of the participants highlighted the importance of collaboration in teachers’ professional growth. Participants mentioned that collaborative environment are more supportive for professional development of teachers since they are provided opportunities for mutual learning. They stated that while collaboration teachers have chance to share their opinion on various issues, discuss common problems, analyse and reflect on own teaching practice and collaboratively participate in problem solving process. This in its turn may be concluded that teachers of one NIS school in Kazakhstan believe that professional collaboration of teachers consequently tend to lead to professional growth.
Regarding the skills that are necessary for professional collaboration are soft skills and communication skills that were mostly mentioned by participants. All participants underlined the significance of skills for collaboration among colleagues. All participants mentioned various skills for teachers to have in order to collaborate professionally. They highlighted being open to new ideas, being tolerant, being a leader, being friendly and positive are crucial for teachers to possess in order to have effective collaboration. Therefore, it can be concluded that for teachers of this NIS school having soft skills and communication skills is key while professional
collaboration with colleagues.
Regarding the knowledge that play one of the crucial roles in collaboration, participants underlined content knowledge. Participants believe that teachers need to be informed about the
TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
53 content of collaboration since it affects on the interest and involvement of all teachers into the collaboration process. In other words, it is necessary for teachers to have common understanding on the topic of collaboration and being able to share it.
To conclude, teachers of this NIS school have positive attitudes towards teacher
collaboration by explaining that it is one of the effective tools for professional growth. Similarly, they highlight the importance of possessing soft skills in order to focus on effective collaboration process.
5.5.2. How do teachers understand collaborative learning?
Generally, teachers understand collaboration as participating in planning lessons with other colleagues together. Participants stated that they collaborate with other colleagues in order to plan lessons and discuss the lesson materials. They explained this by saying that during the joint lesson planning teachers have opportunities to share their own experience and ask for advice from peers. Consequently, this may be concluded that teachers of this NIS school
understand co-planning as one of the main ways of collaboration and that it can be useful way of collaborative learning.
5.5.3. What is the attitude of teachers towards participation in collaborative professional development?
Overall, all participants expressed positive attitudes towards participating in collaborative professional learning. Participants underlined the importance of collaboration among colleagues in professional growth. They stated that professional collaboration is one of the ways that gives to teachers to express opinions on different issues, assess own abilities, analyse own practice and reflect on it. As a result, participants mentioned that during the collaboration teachers increase
TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
54 their knowledge professionally and helps to establish friendly relationships with the colleagues.
5.5.4. What skills and knowledge do teachers have or need to develop to engage in collaborative professional development?
Generally, participants of the study underlined the significance of teachers to have skills and knowledge in order to be engaged in collaboration. Participants mentioned content
knowledge and pedagogical knowledge as crucial elements of the professional teacher collaboration. Participants demonstrated that while collaboration it is important to possess pedagogical knowledge since it helps to understand each other while discussion of teaching methods and lesson activities. Teachers added that it is not necessary to be an expert in teaching, however having basic knowledge in pedagogy is tend to lead to more effective and useful
collaboration.
Regarding to content knowledge, participants underlined that content knowledge play crucial role while collaboration since all teachers need to have shared knowledge on the topic of collaboration. According to the findings of this study, it is more helpful if teachers teach the same subject and the same grade. This in its turn make collaboration interesting, useful for all teachers and effective for professional development.
To conclude, it was revealed that teachers need to have content knowledge and
pedagogical knowledge in order to collaborate with colleagues at the same level and be able to contribute to the collaboration and share own best practice.
5.5.5. What would enhance teacher participation in collaborative professional development.
Overall, all participants emphasised voluntary participation in collaboration as one of the ways to make teachers more engaged in collaboration. All participants highlighted own choice of
TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR COLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
55 teachers to be engaged in collaboration as key factor to enhance teachers’ participation in
collaboration. Participants stated that it is crucial for teachers to demonstrate their own willingness to take part in collaboration since it influences the effectiveness of collaboration process.
According to the findings of the study, in case if teachers are pressed by school administration to participate in collaboration this may decrease the effectiveness of
collaboration. Participants explained it that when teachers are required to collaborate they do not feel any responsibility for their own development and even they do not feel their relevance to the collaboration process.
As a result, this may be concluded that one way to enhance teachers’ participation in professional collaboration is to give teachers the choice to participate and make collaboration voluntary action because this may lead to make more teachers to be interested in collaborative professional development.