To Shanthan: Thank you for taking care of the garden while I was working at my desk. Thank you for teaching me about the writing process, for teaching me to think beyond the ordinary, and for joining me on this journey. To my Teaching Practice team: thank you for remembering my writing pads with your antics and especially your kind words.
- Introduction
- Rationale for the Study
- Personal Experience
- Context
- Focus and Purpose of the Study
- Problem Statement
- Objectives of the Study
- Research Questions
- Methodology
- Data Generation
- Data Analysis
- Structure of the Study
- Summary of Chapter
There is a tremendous need to explore the relational learning experiences of NTEs in a higher education institution. To explore how NTEs' relational learning experiences influence their learning as teacher educators in a private higher education institution. How do NTEs' relational learning experiences affect their learning as teacher educators at a private higher education institution.
- Overview
- SECTION A – Review of Literature
- Developing Competent NTEs
- Limited Structured Induction/Mentoring for NTEs
- NTEs Shifting Identification
- Relational Learning
- The Work of Teacher Educators
- Pedagogy of Teacher Education
- International Higher Education Context
- South Africa Higher Education Contexts
- Private Higher Education Contexts in South Africa
- SECTION B – Theoretical Framework
- Situated Learning Theory (Lave & Wenger, 1991)
- Relational Cultural Theory (Miller, Jordan, Stiver & Surrey, 1976)
- Summary of Chapter
During the data analysis process, the researcher read the questionnaire and the interview transcripts and collage presentations several times. This introductory chapter also mentions the focus, research questions and relevance of this study. Also included in this chapter is the plan of the research methodology used in this study.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
- Overview
- Site of Research
- Participants
- Research Design
- Research Approach and Paradigm
- Qualitative Approach
- Interpretivist Paradigm
- Case Study
- Data Generation Methods
- Questionnaire
- Semi-structured Interview
- Collage with Presentation
- Validity and Reliability and Rigor
- Data Analysis Process
- Data Analysis of Questionnaire
- Data Analysis of Semi-Structured Interviews
- Data Analysis of a Collage
- Creating Narrative Accounts
- Ethical Considerations
- Naming Conventions
- Positionality of the Researcher
- Limitations and Challenges of the Study
- Summary of Chapter
The data sets were then examined in detail before the researcher could identify key themes to determine how the themes were connected. The data generated was also used to create narrative accounts for each participant (See section 3.8.4 Creating narrative accounts). It provides the background and purpose of this study, it conceptualises Relational Learning and highlights the importance of Relational Learning and its potential value in learning in higher education institutions for novice teacher educators.
Overview
Rishaan (A good being)
- Jumping on for the ride
- On route
- Just a speed bump or two
- Reaching safely
- Rishaan's Collage "Umuntu Ngumuntu, Ngabantu"
Sadhika (To achieve)
- The ingredients for a fine green salad
- A different kind of mix
- A seasoning of relationships to the rescue
- Kindness to dress the young green salad
- A young green salad-crisp and fresh
- Sadhika's Collage "A Different Adventure"
Sejal (One with character)
- The wheel begins to turn
- Round and round, it goes
- Change in wheel, change in mind
- Company on the wheel
- Wheel of turmoil
- Sejal's Collage: Part 1 – "Upliftment and Passion"
- Sejal's Collage: Part 2 – "Sink or Swim"
Anura (The learned one)
- A beginning breeze
- Jet streaming ahead
- Making headwinds
- Whirlwind of a time
- Anura's Collage – "Jigsaw Workplace Relationships'
Rakshit (Guarded and secure)
- Uncharted forest territory
- A flourish of growth
- Bearings in the woods
- Compass pointing north
- Rakshit's Collage "Light Shines Through"
Sana (Radiance and energy)
- Begin wash cycle
- Filling the dish washer
- The nitty gritty of dirty dishes
- Cycle complete
- Sana's Collage "Team Work to Make the Dream Work"
Summary of Chapter
Overview
Rishaan (A good being)
- A Warm Welcome in a New Place
- Turn and Talk – Spaces for learning
- Rishaan, Daha and Hiya
- Brotherhood, Commitment and Unity
Sadhika (The Achiever)
- Focused Mind
- Supportive Sages
Sejal (One with Character)
- A Transitional Space
- Mutuality Through Peer Connections
- Isolation from Department
Anura (The Learned One)
- Entering as a Passenger
- The Outsider Looking In
- Anura and Adhav
Rakshit (The Protected One)
- A Refreshing Beginning
- Rakshit and Agrata
- Talkative Connections
- A Working Duo
- Islands of Disconnection
Sana (Radiance and Energy)
- Finding My Way
- Synergism
- Sana and Pranaya
Summary of Chapter
Overview
Disengaging to Engaging Induction
Clarity on Role Performance – Collegial Conversations
Micro-communities of Practice
Knowledge Construction in Relational Spaces
- How Size Does Matter – Reaching Out?
- Developing Lecture Material – A Helping Hand
- Technological Skills – Supportive Colleagues
- Developing Organisational Knowledge – Show Me
Summary of Chapter
Overview
This study was conducted to explore the Relational Learning experiences of NTEs in a private HEI in South Africa offering teacher educator programmes. The key research questions for the study focused on understanding the Relational Learning experiences of NTEs during their first three years of work entering a private HEI and how those experiences informed their understanding of being a teacher educator and their work as teacher educators. Nationally and internationally, research (Goodwin & Kosnik, 2013; Subbaye & Dhunpath, 2016; Ping et al., 2018) on the professional careers of NTEs remains scarce and limited while the number of teacher educators in both public and private HEIs has skyrocketed.
Relational learning is a recent phenomenon in education that encourages learning through relationships. It is through the active participation of NTEs in meaningful relationships that learning becomes an outcome rather than a goal of that relationship. It is important to examine and explore how NTEs make meaning of their relational learning experiences to guide and assist them in their understanding of what it means to be a teacher educator and their work in teacher education.
In the field of education, it is important to maintain the quality of teacher training and to guarantee the professional development of NTEs in teacher training. The research questions aimed to reveal what the relational experiences of NTEs in private higher education institutions are, to explain how relational experiences of NTEs have influenced their learning as NTEs in a higher education environment and finally to reveal to what extent relational learning has informed the work of NTEs. . My aim was to gain an in-depth understanding of the relational experiences of NTEs as they began their work in teacher education in higher education.
Limited structured induction and mentoring, inadequate exploration of NTE learning in HEIs and ad hoc on-the-job training has left many NTEs in a place of uncertainty.
Theoretical and Methodological Reflections
The RCT presented a framework to interpret the relational experiences of NTEs and to show that these relationships have enhanced their growth or hindered their growth at times as NTEs. Miller, Jordan, Stiver, and Surrey (1976) coined the term 'growth-enhancing relationships' to explain the powerful influence relationships have. All growth-promoting relationships should include five main features, listed below, to reach a place of reciprocity: (1) Feeling of spirit or energy (2) Increased sense of worth (3) Clarity: Increased knowledge of self and other person in the relationship (4) Productivity: Ability and motivation to act both in the relationship and outside of it (5) Desire for more Connection: In response to satisfaction of relational experience (Eible, 2015, p. 31).
Each of these characteristics in a growth-enhancing relationship guided me in the data analysis process to look for these characteristics in the relationship experiences of NTEs. Relationship experiences and interactions gave NTEs the opportunities to learn and develop into more confident NTEs. Reciprocity is important in relationships that promote growth because when achieved in a relationship, it ensures that each participant has equal participation and involvement in the relationship by moving to a place of respect.
Fostering relationships are relationships that empowered NTEs to do the work of teacher education as well as enabled NTEs to survive the early days at the HEI. Understanding growth-promoting relationships allowed the researcher to determine which of the relationships were growth-promoting relationships and consisted of the five good things for growth-promoting relationships. The process of extracting participants' responses from the questionnaire for further discussion/elaboration during the semi-structured interview provided useful data on the relational experiences of NTEs in the HEI.
Consequently, data generated exposed the Relational Learning experiences of NTEs, thus illustrating how these experiences informed them to become a teacher educator, as well as how the experiences supported their progress in understanding the complex work of teacher education or limited.
Discussion of Key Findings
The interpretive approach used in this qualitative study was appropriate for the case study methodology. It allowed the phenomenon of relational learning to be studied in its real-life HE context, thus bringing authenticity and authenticity to the study. The data generation methods and instruments used exposed rich, detailed and candid data from the participants, which were purposeful and relevant to the study.
The participants believed that making their experiences in the first months at Goldstein through a metaphor was creative and brought their lived experiences to life. On reflection, the research design is suitable as it reflects research strategies and research instruments that are perfectly connected to suit the research questions.
Findings
- What are the Relational Learning experiences of NTEs in a private HEI?
- How do Relational Learning experiences influence their learning as teacher educators? 149
NTEs identified self-selected mentors to help them become more familiar with higher education and the work of teacher education. NTEs viewed their self-selected mentors as invaluable as they felt they were sages when it came to teacher education. The data reveal that NTEs enjoyed the support of their self-selected mentors and enjoyed having their own person to help them.
Mentors, self-selected by NTEs, have been an essential factor in the growth and development of NTEs. Self-selected mentors and NTEs developed growth-promoting relationships that enabled NTEs to understand the practice of teacher education. The findings of this research indicated that self-selected mentors were able to provide both emotional and professional support to NTEs.
Overall, the nature of the relationships between NTEs and their self-selected mentors had a powerful and positive impact on NTEs. When NTEs felt motivated and empowered by their self-selected mentors, it renewed their energy to learn and integrate themselves into higher education. As NTEs grew in their relationships with their self-selected mentors, they felt more respected and affirmed.
The relationships that developed between the NTEs and their self-selected mentors provided the support NTEs needed to overcome this challenging aspect of their work as teacher educators.
Recommendations
- Training and enculturation for NTEs in higher education
- Relational Learning as ways for NTEs to learn
- Limited literature on NTEs' experiences
- The development of COP in higher education
- NTEs adaptation into HEI environment and emotional support
- HODs should not automatically be assigned as mentors to NTEs
If NTEs continue to use school-based techniques to teach beginning teachers, then this threatens the quality of teacher education. If NTEs are not professionally trained and professionally engaged in teacher education, they may struggle to survive in the profession. This training program should include both formal and informal opportunities for NTEs to engage in learning about the work of teacher education.
NTEs require training and guidance to develop into their role as teacher trainers and this training must be explicit, functional and well conceptualized (Loughran, 2014). The content of this training program of essential skills and knowledge is yet to be determined. The emerging literature on the topic of teacher educators calls for a greater understanding of the nature of teacher education work.
NTEs must also be empowered to understand communities of practice and their potential value. To curb these feelings and ensure that an NTE remains in the profession, some form of emotional support must be made available to NTEs. NTEs need to feel safe and secure and this will motivate them to work hard and manage their roles better, therefore emotional support needs to be a focus in the professional development of NTEs.
For the mentoring scheme to be effective in an organisation, it must be work that is recognized by the institution and included in the mentor's workload.
Conclusion
Relational practices can transform teacher education for NTEs because powerful learning experiences and knowledge reside in the very interaction they have with other teacher educators and their environment. Induction of teacher educators in Higher Education: work-based learning in teacher education micro-communities. The quality of teacher educators in the European policy debate: Actions and measures to improve the professionalism of teacher educators.
Barriers and challenges faced by private higher education institutions in managing quality assurance in South Africa. This study aims to explore novice teacher educators' experiences with relational learning to understand their work in teacher education in higher education institutions. Relationships are important in the workplace and this study aims to investigate how novice teacher educators' interactions in relationships with teacher educators influence their work.
You can contact the research at any point in the researcher if you have any questions or concerns. Please indicate in the table below how many months or years of teaching experience you have in a Further Education and Training Institution. What was the first thing you remember learning in the first few months at the institution.
What is your view on how relationships in the workplace can support or limit a Beginning Teacher Educator's learning and/or transition to the new workplace.
TURNITIN REPORT
