Evaluation and Research in Education
Editor: Professor Keith Morrison, Inter-University Institute of Macau
Associate Editor: Professor Stephen Gorard, University of York
Statistical Adviser: Professor Colin Baker, University of Wales Bangor
Reviews Editor: Dr. Emma Smith, University of York
|
Volume: 13 Number: 3 Page: 144–156
|
|
|
|
|
Understanding Teachers' Professional Cultures Through Interview: A Constructivist Approach
|
|
Peter Knight and Murray Saunders
|
|
This paper describes one of the methods of enquiry used in the Professional Culture of Teachers Project: it does not discuss the substantive findings. The claim is that both the concepts of 'professional'
and 'culture' are constructed, complex, ambiguous and deeply embedded in consciousness and practice. Consequently, it would be inadequate simply to listen to informants' accounts of their professional cultures.
A method of enquiry was needed that helped informants to construct their consciousnesses of these almost subliminal concepts. Amongst the conclusions is the suggestion that it is important that evaluations
be designed to capture the confusions, complexities and contradictions of people's thinking about their work. Without that concern there is the danger of producing over-neat accounts that can only support
m isconceived, over-rational decision-making.
© Multilingual Matters 1999
Full text PDF
|
