Changes in understanding of the value and impact of SBPL in teaching

Lucy’s transformations in understanding the value and impact of the SBPL were crucial because these determined her ability to sustain her PL. These changes are discussed in relation to two main areas namely teaching practice and improving students’ learning.

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5.5.2.1Understanding that PL could improve teaching practice

Lucy claimed that previously PL had had no significant impact on her teaching. She clarified that she had previously engaged in poorly organised PL, which did not result into positive changes in her classroom teaching. Reflecting on what she did with colleagues when they once engaged in team teaching, she claimed that the practice was not fruitful. She revealed:

Because we were just moving without knowing, surely I didn’t see its impact... The teaching was different, because one was teaching using a lecture and another was just reading a book. We confused students. I don’t know! we entered in the class without specified objectives (INT- 1).

After engaging in three cycles of her inquiry, she discovered that she lacked the necessary PL skills in her previous practice. Lucy came to understand that effective teaching practice could not happen if teachers do not make time to think about what to teach and how to refine their teaching skills. She realised that when teaching is regarded as a ‘business as usual’, creativity to modify it is almost non-existent:

This PL has changed my practice. I don’t teach just because I have been assigned teaching duties! Rather, we need to teach by accommodating a variety of techniques and make sure that students understand. In truth, despite all the challenges we are going through, this SBPL has added some important things in my teaching (FGD-1).

Lucy also noted that a crucial aspect in her teaching practice was missing, i.e. learning how to modify teaching strategies through regular and focused PL activities. She believed that her teaching practice had changed because of engaging in these organised inquiry cycles. She went on to confirm that she was able to apply different strategies to assist students’ learning. On this note, she stated: “The programme has changed me for real. I am no longer saying like, today we are going to study this topic; it is from this book... No, now I am flexible” (Lucy/INT-F).

The skills she learned about searching PL materials were highly beneficial. Lucy reported that by engaging in the inquiry cycle, she was able to identify and access different materials she needed for improving her teaching: “I have discovered techniques for getting learning materials and learning guides” (Lucy/INT-F). In addition, Lucy perceived that SBPL was useful as it helped her to learn research skills

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which promoted her PL: “According to my experience in the inquiry, I can say that it helps to do research in teaching. First of all, it guides teachers in their learning process, which then helps to develop the knowledge and skills through reading” (INT- F).

Lucy also acknowledged that she had developed confidence in her teaching and ability to organize teaching strategies and materials. By saying that “something can be done”,

she indicates her enhanced self-efficacy which is crucial to influence her teaching practice. This raised self-efficacy served to promote Lucy’s confidence in her classroom practice. The excerpt below reveals her transformation:

I also enjoyed the programme and found that it was useful… the SBPL has helped me very much to develop teaching skills and confidence… Something can be done!The things which we previously thought that they were impossible now we see them as possible (Lucy/INT-F).

Specifically, Lucy indicated her shift of understanding regarding the value of PL to improve her teaching practice. She also learned that her engagement in SBPL contributed to the development of skills to select and use appropriate teaching strategies and resources to address identified students’ learning challenges.

5.5.2.2Understanding that PL could support students’ learning

Lucy also acknowledged that participating in an inquiry broadened her understanding of students’ learning needs and improved her ability to see how her teaching impacted their learning. At the beginning of the study, Lucy generally attributed most learning difficulties to the students’ poor academic abilities and their lack of motivation. According to Lucy, students’ poor mastery of the English language was perhaps the chief barrier to her students’ learning. She also attributed other problems to parents and school environment, without really reflecting on her own teaching. She firmly believed that her students were weak; hence changing them could be difficult. She said:

They are also lazy… you do not need to explain in detail because they are poor at English language, even if you do, it will be difficult for them to understand… as well, our students do not like studying, that is the reality… They show openly that they don’t like studying… If you have the last period to teach you will find that some students do not understand and many are dozing off in class… I think

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the problem is the environment. First of all they are coming from poor families… Also, their parents are not supportive (Lucy/INT-1).

After starting to engage in the first inquiry cycle, Lucy clearly realised that most learning problems were not deficits in the students alone as she had perceived earlier. She also came to realise that her own teaching approaches might be among the factors affecting their learning. She confirmed: “Previously we asked students to read from

here ... to there..., without showing them how… One must have the necessary skills if has to read it properly” (Lucy/FGD-1). Lucy’s change in understanding her students’ learning needs was also noticed when she started to speak more positively and encouragingly to her students. Some of these changes were noted in my journal when one student approached Lucy and asked for clarification when we were outside the staffroom, as she replied: “if you still don’t understand, come back to me... ask your

friend, start again… no problem, you will get there” (Rehema/REF/J).

In due course, Lucy commented that students can demonstrate good learning ability if they are well guided. Her students’ interest in learning was increased when she encouraged and supported them to learn. More importantly, Lucy acknowledged that as a teacher she had a major role in promoting her students’ learning abilities through refining her teaching skills. Notably, she perceived that students differ in their learning abilities and therefore, her tireless assistance through using different strategies can possibly make a change. The following comment illustrates the significant transformation in Lucy’s attitude to her students:

Since we started learning, I have realized that these students are teachable… I mean they have potential skills. When you teach them using the procedure described, they understand … I used to complain about them without knowing that they needed help. A Form Four ‘B’ class is good, and I have seen them putting more effort and started being interested in learning. If we say that teaching is impossible, then we will be very wrong, because we are the one to make it possible and successful. Slowly, slowly it can be done (Lucy/INT-F).

Lucy further admitted that perhaps her negative attitudes towards students’ learning prior to her engagement in this inquiry had contributed to her poor teaching and assessment skills, and consequently to her poor understanding of her students: “I came

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to realize that I didn’t know how to assess my teaching… We didn’t know there was a way of assisting them [students] bit by bit (Lucy/FGD-3).

Finally, Lucy commented that SBPL had an impact on students’ learning and she was pleased with the level of achievement demonstrated by her students during the implementation of her inquiry. She commented: “It might be that the students have not gained much, but I am happy to say that they have been exposed to useful strategies of learning” (INT- F). Lucy’s view of her students’ learning suggests that she was able to see and understand the educational value and impact of her engagement in SBPL.