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Collective work with resources: an essential dimension for teacher documentation

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Abstract

In this paper we study the collective dimensions of teachers’ work in their ordinary daily practice. We argue that teachers’ ordinary work comprises many collaborative aspects, and that the interactions with colleagues, often through resources, are crucial for teacher professional development. Using a theoretical framework based on teacher documentation work, we focused on interactions between teachers and resources to study two teachers’ work: one teacher in France and one teacher in Norway. For both teachers we identified collective dimensions in their work with resources. Contrasting these two cases enabled us to identify particular features, but also possible invariants, of teachers’ work with resources. Our results indicate that collective dimensions are always present in teachers’ work, but that true communities of practice, which could be considered as an achievement of collective teachers’ work, are scarce. We discuss the conditions for the emergence of such communities.

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Notes

  1. Each pupil gets his/her individual ‘arbeidsplan’: this provides work (e.g., exercises) to be done over a period of time, typically over 1 or 2 weeks.

  2. http://www.primas-project.eu.

  3. ‘Hélice’ means Helix, and pupil learning is assumed to develop along a didactic progression of a spiral: each topic is introduced and then deepened in subsequent revisiting of the topic area.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CREAD, University of Brest, Brest, France

    G. Gueudet

  2. Sør-Trøndelag University College, Trondheim, Norway

    B. Pepin

  3. French Institute of Education, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Lyon, France

    L. Trouche

Authors
  1. G. Gueudet
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  2. B. Pepin
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  3. L. Trouche
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Gueudet.

Appendix: Questionnaire and interview

Appendix: Questionnaire and interview

We present here the questionnaire and interview questions used with Vera. The written questionnaire was completed before the interview. The first part of the interview (questions in italics) complements the questionnaire, drawing on the written answers.

1.1 Questionnaire and first part of the interview

1. What is your background: studies, and positions from the beginning of your career? Why did you change school?

2. What opportunities have you had to work with other teachers? What are the consequences (for your resources, for your professional practice, for your ideas about mathematics and their teaching…)? Can you describe the ‘real team work’ at the vocational school? What experiences?

  • 2.1 Professional development. When? On which themes? With what consequences? Why did you choose this training?

  • 2.2 Professional associations. Which? When? With what consequences?

  • 2.3 With teachers in your school. When? About which subjects? What form of collective work? With what consequences?

3. The following questions concern the resources of your teaching (ICT, textbooks, websites…) What are, or have been, the most-used resources? What criteria for their choice? What use of these resources?

  • 3.1 When you started your career

  • 3.2 Five years ago

  • 3.3 Now

3.4 What might be your resources in 2020?

3.5 About ICT resources, can you describe the environment in your school in terms of computer room, interactive white board, and colleagues interested by this equipment?

4. About the textbook Hélice which you now use to prepare your lessons in grade 6

  • 4.1 When did you start using it, and why?

  • 4.2. How do you use it to prepare your courses?

  • 4.3. How do you combine it with other resources (precisely which resources)?

5. About the use of Sésamath resources

  • 5.1 When did you start using Sésamath resources, and why? Did this use change your work, in-class and out-of-class? Do your colleagues appreciate the Sésamath resources? Does it change the work of the pupils?

  • 5.2 How do you combine the two textbooks, Sésamath and Hélice?

  • 5.3 Do you take part in the Sésamath association activity?

  • 5.4 Do you share Sésamath resources with colleagues?

1.2 Second part of the interview

Imagine that you go on leave for 1 year. I come to replace you, and try to act your way (as similar as you as possible). What should I do, to prepare the courses, to work with the pupils?

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Gueudet, G., Pepin, B. & Trouche, L. Collective work with resources: an essential dimension for teacher documentation. ZDM Mathematics Education 45, 1003–1016 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-013-0527-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-013-0527-1

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