Pedagogy, Curriculum, Teaching Practices and Teacher Education in Developing Countries

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Pedagogy, Curriculum, Teaching Practices and Teacher Education in Developing Countries Pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices and teacher education in developing countries EVIDENCE BRIEF The evidence suggests that when teachers see pedagogy as entailing communication with students they use practices in interactive ways that mean that learning is more likely to take place: the ‘how’ is more important than ‘what’ teachers do. drawing on students’ alignment of professional About this brief backgrounds and experiences. development with teachers’ This paper summaries evidence Six practices used in interactive needs, the promoted pedagogy from a DFID-funded review by ways by effective teachers were and in-class monitoring of Westbrook et al. (2013), entitled more likely to enhance learning: teachers Pedagogy, Curriculum, Teaching support from head teachers demonstration and explanation, Practices and Teacher Education alignment of forms of drawing on subject knowledge in Developing Countries, produced assessment with the school flexible use of whole-class, group by the University of Sussex. The curriculum. review identifies pedagogic and pair work where students practices that most effectively discuss a shared task Practices were disabled by support all students to learn, and frequent, relevant use of learning misalignment of: determines ways that these can be materials beyond the textbook initial teacher training with the supported by teacher education open and closed questioning, school curriculum and the school curriculum. expanding responses, Continuing professional encouraging questioning development with the promoted This brief provides an overview of use of local languages and code pedagogy the strength of evidence, key switching (switching between two the school curriculum with findings and theory of change, to languages within a sentence to assessment. assist policy makers and ensure understanding) Further disabling factors were: researchers in assessing the planning and varying lesson poor communication with the evidence in this field. It is not sequences. community and policy makers designed to compare specific limited resources and large class intervention packages. Practices used were student- sizes. centred and teacher-led, but informed by social constructivist Key findings approaches that see knowledge as Evidence Base Pedagogic practices were most socially constructed and learning The overall strength of the effective when they involved as a social process. A positive and evidence is moderate. However, communication with students. the evidence is less robust on the Three strategies indicated where mutually reinforcing relationship between teacher attitudes, impact of practices on student teachers were focused on learning outcomes, with few students’ learning: strategies and practices was found. studies using baseline and post- feedback, paying inclusive and test measurements. sustained attention to students Practices were enabled by: creating a safe classroom environment teacher peer support DFID RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE DIVISION: EVIDENCE BRIEF 1 Teacher education: ITE, CPD Theory of change Training aligned to curriculum & specific pedagogy, & tailored to teachers’ existing knowledge, practices & contexts moderate evidence Curriculum Teacher manuals & scripted lesson plans moderate • Pitch at a level appropriate to students & evidence make content accessible and relevant to students weak evidence Teacher educators understand and use promoted pedagogy weak evidence • CPD courses to cover new subjects & Regular follow-up support in classrooms moderate evidence working with students with special needs weak evidence Facilitate teacher peer support moderate evidence • Align assessment modes with curricular pedagogic design moderate evidence ASSUMPTIONS - support from school head & ASSUMPTIONS community - - Sufficient flexibility in - realistic expectations of teachers’ progress national or school ALIGNMENT curriculum - - Buy-in from teachers This diagram represents a - Recognition in proposal for the optimal teacher education Teacher thinking alignments between pedagogy, curriculum and teacher - - Acceptance by Positive attitudes towards training & students weak evidence education that support stakeholders maximum change in teachers’ Communicative strategies practices and which are more likely to lead to increases in Responsive feedback, sustained and inclusive approach student learning attainment. It moderate evidence also addresses the assumptions Draw on students’ backgrounds and experiences in teaching inherent in making that change happen at each step. weak evidence Concern to create a ‘safe’ environment in classroom Strength of the evidence moderate evidence Teaching practices Moderate - Slightly more robust evidence was found on the Explanations informed by pedagogical content knowledge weak importance of teachers paying attention to students, use of evidence group work, interactive Varied use of whole-class, group and pair work moderate questioning and use of evidence materials. Use of variety of learning materials moderate evidence The evidence within teacher Interactive questioning style moderate evidence education is moderate on: Use of local languages and/or code switching moderate alignment of training with evidence pedagogy; provision of teacher Lesson planning that incorporates variety moderate evidence manuals; in-class support and practice; and peer support. ASSUMPTIONS Weak - the evidence is weakest on how the practices impact on - Students able student attainment and to learn from stakeholder satisfaction. these practices Within the curriculum, evidence - Sufficient is weak apart from alignment of learning assessment with curriculum materials design. Impact on students Greater student attendance, engagement moderate evidence Higher student attainment weak evidence Stakeholder satisfaction weak evidence DFID RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE DIVISION: EVIDENCE BRIEF 2 Outcomes by type and quality of study Forty five studies that were quality assessed as either High or Moderate were included in the final narrative synthesis. The studies were classified into three types: interventions, reforms and existing conditions. Intervention: Studies or evaluations of pedagogic practices within the context of a specific project or attempt to improve schooling in a particular location through means such as funding, training and providing material resources. Reform: studies that take place in the context of large-scale reform mostly of national curricula, and therefore, as in interventions, there is likely to be an indication of the desired practices to be produced by the reform. Existing conditions: exploratory research which describes and analyses what is going on in a location. Interventions or reforms may have played a part but are not highlighted by the study. Reform studies by quality Intervention studies by quality 12 12 10 10 8 8 6 6 Mixed Positive 4 Negative 4 Mixed Number of studies of Number Number of studies of Number 2 2 0 0 High High/Mod. Moderate High High/Mod. Moderate Quality of study Quality of study Studies were categorised as to whether they reported Existing conditions studies by quality mostly positive outcomes, mixed results or mostly 12 negative outcomes. The vast majority of studies were qualitative, with only four quantitative. They came from 20 different countries, predominantly from sub-Saharan 10 Africa and South Asia. Students in the majority of studies came from poor or marginalised backgrounds and 8 included girls. The evidence consists of studies where a variety of 6 Positive pedagogical practices were used, and in different Mixed combinations, indicating how varied their implementation 4 Number of studies of Number Negative may be. Results indicated that the outcome is dependent on implementation. 2 When viewed in the light of the strategies and teacher attitudes that shape how practices are implemented, it is 0 High High/Mod. Moderate possible to identify some of the factors shaping the outcomes of teaching and learning. How teachers Quality of studies implement a particular practice is more important than what pedagogic approach they use. Research gaps Larger-scale mixed-methods studies with baseline and post-tests measuring student attainment associated with specific practices over time and inclusion of students’ perspectives. Effective practices for students with disabilities and overage students, and in multigrade classes. Further observational evidence of effective practices for very large classes. Examples of curricula designed for specific student groups; teachers’ use of assessment in relation to the curriculum. DFID RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE DIVISION: EVIDENCE BRIEF 3 What is the evidence on the effectiveness of pedagogical practices, in what conditions, and with what population of learners? This table presents the evidence for effective practices under the three pedagogic aspects of attitudes, strategies and practices and expands the headlines given in the Theory of Change on page 3. Teachers used combinations of these practices in observed lessons, but even used in isolation they sometimes led to improvements, although there is also evidence that the same practice can result in poor outcomes (often where practices are delivered without consideration of the students). The first number in the bracket represents the numbers of studies for each aspect. The second is the number of those that gave evidence of increases in student attainment as a result of the practice. The strength of the evidence for each aspect is given in the right hand column.
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