Conceptions of teachers as experts : a narrative inquiry.
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Date
2017
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Abstract
This study explores conceptions of teachers as experts through memory work within the
Pinetown district. The main purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of who is an expertteacher
and what attributes do expert teachers have? Furthermore, how do these attributes
inform what knowledge teachers acquire in the process of becoming experts? And how and
where do expert-teachers acquire their knowledge to become experts?
This is a qualitative study underpinned by an interpretive paradigm using narrative inquiry as
a methodology. Four teachers at different levels were selected for this study. The participants
are qualified teachers employed by the department of education. Using multiple methods that
included open-ended unstructured interviews, portfolio inquiry, artefact inquiry and collage
inquiry, data was generated to reconstruct four storied narratives of each teacher, about their
lived experiences as experts.
The analysis found that expert-teachers have different attributes based on personal and
professional knowledge that warrants them to be classified as experts. The study also found
that expert-teachers have a sense of resilience as well as a passion for teaching and learning.
They also value result-driven practice, possess a winning mentality, are able to win the hearts
and minds of their learners, are intuitively inquisitive, have a sense of responsibility, always
searching for more pedagogical knowledge, are always hungry for content knowledge, act as
agents of change and are humble and exemplary in nature and in their professional capacity.
The study revealed that expert-teachers have content, curriculum and pedagogical knowledge,
learned the value of education from an early age from their parents, family and community
members, possess organisational knowledge, as well as knowledge of networking and of
working through professional clusters. The study also revealed that teachers develop as a result
of the space given to them. They learn through the process of induction and mentoring,
professional development programmes, expert supervision, motivation by their school
management teams (SMT), school culture and an emotionally friendly and healthy
environment that allows them to engage in the process of development to the level of becoming
an expert.
Description
Master of Education in Teacher Development Studies. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2017.
Keywords
Teachers in service training., Teachers - South Africa., Career development., Theses - Education.