Learning to enact reform practices : understanding teachers' work within contrasting learning contexts

Abstract

Teachers learn in different contexts. This paper reports on the learning experiences of a small group of Maltese secondary school teachers of mathematics as they engaged in a continuing professional development (CPD) programme, designed as part of a doctoral research study, aimed to support them in Learning to Teach Mathematics through Inquiry (LTMI). This paper explores learning-on-the-job within their school context and learning-off-the-job within the community of practice (CoP) offered through LTMI. A qualitative design using thematic analysis was used to investigate teachers’ views and experiences of learning both within the school and the CPD context. The data reported here was taken from a focus group held with teachers at the end of the CPD programme, and three interviews held with the same teachers before, during and after their participation in LTMI. Findings reveal that, during the CPD course, teachers experienced two contrasting learning contexts: an individualistic school culture and a collaborative CoP culture. Within such learning cultures teachers voiced divergences between practice within the school which was isolated, individualistic and competitive with learning within the CoP being collaborative, supportive and empowering.