Peer-Mediated Teacher Change and Professional Learning in Networks: Specialist Languages Teachers' Experience of Networking and the Production of Social Capital in a Context of Curriculum Change

Abstract

This study focuses on teachers as peer-learners and producers of social capital in a global context of ongoing educational change and a national context of current curriculum change (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2010) at the beginning of the twenty-first century. More specifically, it investigates the network-based professional learning of specialist teachers responding to mandated curriculum change in Queensland, Australia, in the first decade of the century. The specialist teachers studied are teachers of languages other than English (LOTE) and the specific mandated curriculum change they are responding to is the introduction of the first-ever formal languages syllabus for primary and lower-secondary school students in the state of Queensland. The curriculum change challenges associated with implementation of this new syllabus (Queensland School Curriculum Council (QSCC), 2000) were many and varied. An investigation of specialist language teachers’ reported experience of collaborative professional learning within their regional, non-school-based teacher networks during this time of curriculum change had the potential to provide some unique understandings about teachers as lifelong learners responding to change. Accordingly, the research was designed to address the broad question: What is the experience of change, professional learning and network participation for specialist languages teachers attempting to implement a new syllabus in this particular context of curriculum change? The main purpose of this exploration and analysis, using a qualitative (interpretive) multiple case-study approach, was to gain a better understanding of these processes, from the perspective of the teachers themselves, to inform the design of professional learning experiences for languages teachers, and others, during future curriculum change efforts, such as the implementation of the new Australian Curriculum – Languages (ACARA, 2011).The findings of this study are presented in a narrative report containing a rich description of the curriculum change research context and the meanings constructed by the teacher-participants, and the researcher, in that context.