An investigation into teacher collaboration for professional development at esp department hue university college of foreign languages

TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Pages STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ………………………………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………… ii TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………… LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ……………………………………………… LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS ……………………………………… ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………… CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION …………………………………………… 1.1 Background of the study ……………………………………………… 1.2 Rationale of the study ………………………………………………… 1.3 Aims of the study ……………………………………………………… 10 1.4 Significance of the study ……………………………………………… 10 1.5 Scope of the study ……………………………………………………… 10 1.6 Structure of the study ………………………………………………… 11 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW …………………………………… 12 2.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………… 12 2.2 Teacher professional development ………………………………… 12 2.2.1 Definitions of teacher professional development …………………… 12 2.2.2 Significance of teacher professional development …………………… 14 2.3 Teacher collaboration for professional development ………………… 14 2.3.1 Definitions of teacher collaboration ………………………………… 14 2.3.2 Characteristics of successful teacher collaboration ………………… 16 2.3.3 Benefits of teacher collaboration …………………………………… 17 2.3.4 Barriers to teacher collaboration …………………………………… 19 2.3.5 Support for teacher collaboration …………………………………… 21 2.4 Common activities of teacher collaboration …………………………… 22 2.4.1 Peer observation ……………………………………………………… 22 2.4.2 Mentoring …………………………………………………………… 23 2.4.3 Peer coaching ………………………………………………………… 25 2.4.4 Team teaching ……………………………………………………… 26 2.4.5 Study groups ………………………………………………………… 28 2.5 Previous studies on teacher collaboration abroad and in Vietnam …… 28 2.6 Chapter summary ……………………………………………………… 34 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY …………………………… 35 3.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………… 35 3.2 Research approach …………………………………………………… 35 3.3 Participants …………………………………………………………… 36 3.4 Instruments and procedures of data collection ………………………… 37 3.4.1 Questionnaires ……………………………………………………… 37 3.4.2 Interviews …………………………………………………………… 38 3.5 Data analysis …………………………………………………………… 39 3.6 Chapter summary ……………………………………………………… 40 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION …………………………… 41 4.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………… 41 4.2 Questionnaire data analysis …………………………………………… 41 4.2.1 Teacher views on TC for their professional development …………… 42 4.2.1.1 Necessity of teacher collaboration ………………………………… 42 4.2.1.2 Benefits of teacher collaboration …………………………………… 43 4.2.1.3 Barriers to teacher collaboration …………………………………… 46 4.2.2 The realities of TC practice at ESP department – HUCFL ………… 47 4.2.2.1 Teacher interests in TC opportunities ……………………………… 48 4.2.2.2 Employment of TC activities ……………………………………… 49 4.2.2.3 Focus of TC activities ……………………………………………… 50 4.2.2.4 Teacher partnership in TC activities ……………………………… 51 4.2.3 Suggestions for promoting TC ……………………………………… 52 4.3 Interview data analysis ………………………………………………… 53 4.3.1 Teacher views on TC for their professional development …………… 54 4.3.1.1 Necessity of teacher collaboration ………………………………… 54 4.3.1.2 Benefits of teacher collaboration …………………………………… 55 4.3.1.3 Barriers to teacher collaboration …………………………………… 56 4.3.2 The realities of TC practice at ESP department – HUCFL ………… 58 4.3.2.1 Teacher interests in TC opportunities ……………………………… 58 4.3.2.2 Employment of TC activities ……………………………………… 59 4.3.2.3 Focus of TC activities ……………………………………………… 60 4.3.2.4 Teacher partnership in TC activities ……………………………… 60 4.3.3 Suggestions for promoting TC ……………………………………… 61 4.4 Chapter summary ……………………………………………………… 62 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS …………………… 63 5.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………… 63 5.2 Summary of the findings ……………………………………………… 63 5.2.1 How teachers at ESP department - HUCFL view teacher collaboration as a means for their professional development? …………… 63 5.2.2 What are the realities of teacher collaboration at ESP Department HUCFL? …………………………………………………………………… 64 5.2.3 What are teacher suggestions for promoting teacher collaboration at ESP department - HUCFL? ………………………………………………… 5.3 Implications …………………………………………………………… 65 66 5.3.1 For Teachers ………………………………………………………… 66 5.3.2 For Administrators …………………………………………………… 68 5.4 Limitations of the Study ……………………………………………… 70 5.5 Recommendations for Future Research ……………………………… 71 5.6 Concluding thoughts …………………………………………………… 71 REFERENCES …………………………………………………………… 73 APPENDICES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS GE General English ESP English for Specific Purposes HUCFL Hue University – College of Foreign Languages SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences TC Teacher Collaboration TPD Teacher Professional Development LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: Summary of participants Table 3.2: Summary of the questionnaire Table 4.1: The reliability of the questionnaire Table 4.2: Teacher views on TC Table 4.3: TC increases job satisfaction Table 4.4: TC increases teacher adaptability Table 4.5: TC enhances teacher knowledge and skills Table 4.6: TC enhances teacher self-awareness Table 4.7: The realities of TC practice Table 4.8: Suggestions for promoting TC LIST OF CHARTS Chart 4.1: Necessity of TC for teacher professional development Chart 4.2: Teacher attitudes towards benefits of TC Chart 4.3: Teacher agreement with barriers to TC Chart 4.4: Thinking vs Doing Chart 4.5: Informal vs formal TC Chart 4.6: Teacher participation in TC activities Chart 4.7: Focus of TC activities Chart 4.8: Teacher partnership in TC activities Chart 4.9: Suggestions for TC improvement ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the attitudes of teachers at ESP Department – HUCFL towards teacher collaboration as a means to benefit their professional development It also attempts to explore the reality of teacher collaboration as well as offer suggestions to promote it at ESP Department – HUCFL The data were collected through questionnaires and interviews Forty questionnaires were delivered to forty teachers of ESP department Thirty eight surveys were completed and returned to the author Five teachers from five divisions of ESP department were invited to participate in the in-depth interviews The data collected from the questionnaires were processed quantitatively by means of SPSS and were presented in tables and charts, while information from the interviews was quoted and analyzed qualitatively The findings from both quantitative and qualitative data show that most teachers at ESP department had positive attitudes towards teacher collaboration (TC) Nearly all participants stated that TC was very necessary to teacher professional development and that teachers could benefit a lot from TC However, the findings also indicate that teachers at ESP department tended to their own things in the classroom with little collaboration with their colleagues Many factors such as time constraints, lack of support, and teacher autonomy were seen as obstacles to TC As a result, encouragements from administrators such as financial support, less teaching time, facilities, and training were suggested by teachers in order to promote TC at ESP department From the findings of this study, it is recommended that teachers should re-consider what the best reward of TC is If teachers see their professional development, their students’ achievement, and their school’s success as the highest and most valuable rewards, it is possible that teachers will take more opportunities and even create more opportunities to engage in TC Also, it is essential that the administrators of the college should create more favorable conditions for TC, such as giving financial support, providing more facilities, or creating some common time slots for teachers to participate in TC activities CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study In this era of integration and globalization, there have been numerous changes in many aspects of our society Education is no exception In order to reach the desired outcome from educational changes, teachers must employ appropriate strategies that can support their work Consequently, teachers should consider professional development as a continuous process for their knowledge and practices For example, Pham (2001) believes that “along with teacher training, teacher development must be a vital component in teacher education Development fills the gap in training by giving teachers opportunities to reflect on classroom practice, gain insight into teaching experiences, view education as a long-term process, and deal with change and divergence” (p.31) Many other educators, such as Bailey, Curtis, and Nunan (2001), also point out convincing evidence that professional development is indeed worth pursuing According to the thesaurus of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database, teacher professional development refers to "activities to enhance professional career growth" Such activities may include individual development, continuing education, and in-service education, as well as curriculum writing, peer collaboration, study groups, and peer coaching or mentoring Among a wide range of teacher development models, teacher - to - teacher collaboration attracts much researcher attention The idea of teachers working together to improve teaching and learning seems so sensible that few would argue against it Cook and Friend (1991) report that the evolution of collaborative practice in education began in the mid-seventies in the form of consultation, a process through which one professional assists another in solving a problem concerning a third person This consultative approach in education was, for example, a service delivery model to meet the demand for special education service delivery in the absence of trained special education teachers They also note that as a consultant, a teacher is not only expected to maintain a caseload of students who are seen on a regular basis, but also to serve as a classroom consultant to other teachers working with the same students and with others who require similar education needs However, Cook and Friend (1991) characterize collaboration as different from consultation The consulting model involves the unequal relationship of persons In contrast, collaboration involves interaction between two or more equal parties who voluntarily share decision making in working toward a common goal Furthermore, models of collaboration present a framework in which consultation and teaming are presented as different forms of collaboration Research shows that educators collaborate in a variety of ways Educators routinely exchange information about student progress, coordinate development of instructional plans, team teach, plan for generalization of skills, jointly conduct parent conferences, share decisions with regard to grades, collaboratively solve problems, and participate in cooperative professional development Many benefits of collegiality are also stated in the research literature Khorsheed (2007) claims that “collective effort is better than autonomous and isolated arrangements” (p.43) Collaboration helps teachers learn from one another as well as share and develop their experience together Collegiality can also enable teachers to receive and offer ideas and assistance Furthermore, in schools where teacher collaboration is promoted, teachers can trace both student achievement and the diminution of problematic behaviors in classrooms 1.2 Rationale of the study The teachers of English in the ESP Department, Hue University – College of Foreign Languages (HUCFL), are in charge of teaching General English (GE) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) to all non-English major students within Hue University Besides problems regarding language teaching in general, the teachers have to cope with difficulties found particularly in ESP teaching For instance, there are a wide range of conflicting viewpoints about the qualifications and capabilities needed by ESP teachers and of the tasks which ESP teachers are expected to perform According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987), “the great majority of ESP teachers have not been trained as such They need, therefore, to orientate themselves to a new environment for which they have generally been ill-prepared” Moreover, they have to manage an abundance of work such as “needs analysis, syllabus design, material writing or adaptation and evaluation … in addition to the normal functions of a classroom teacher” (p.157) To deal with the heavy workload, collaboration among ESP teachers is of great necessity Furthermore, who should teach ESP is still a matter of controversy In his book “ESP Today: A Practitioner’s Guide”, Robinson (1991) states that in many countries both qualified content teachers and trained English language teachers are employed to teach ESP It is difficult for the content teacher, and even more so for the language teacher to make “knowledge of the subject” and “knowledge of the language” intertwined Robinson (ibid) also reviews many solutions proposed by several educators and researchers to this problem Among which, the collaboration between language teacher and content teacher is brought into focus Despite its great importance and necessity, collaboration among English language teachers at Vietnamese universities and colleges is still in short supply Pham (2000) points out two main reasons for this problem First, “The concept of teacher training and teacher development organized locally by local trainers seems quite new in Vietnam … many teachers often express their wish to go abroad to study for a degree or to attend workshops organized by foreign aid agencies Not many mention the ideas of learning from their own colleagues” Second, teachers cannot find time to collaborate with others “Besides the mandated teaching hours to maintain the position at the university, many teachers save the rest of their time for additional teaching to supplement the modest state salary” (p.32) In order to move towards improved quality in GE and ESP teaching at Hue University, an investigation into teacher collaboration at ESP department - HUCFL is a necessary task 1.3 Aims of the study This study aims to investigate the attitudes of teachers at ESP Department – HUCFL towards teacher collaboration as a means to benefit their professional development It also attempts to explore the reality of teacher collaboration as well as offer suggestions to better it at ESP Department – HUCFL This study particularly will seek the answers to the following questions How teachers at ESP department - HUCFL view teacher collaboration as a means for their professional development? What are the realities of teacher collaboration at ESP Department - HUCFL? What are teacher suggestions for promoting teacher collaboration at ESP department - HUCFL? 1.4 Significance of the study Teachers are their own most valued resource in the teaching profession If they can share these valuable resources with their colleagues, the teaching quality is likely to be better An investigation into teacher collaboration at ESP department - HUCFL is expected to help teachers look into themselves and think carefully about what more they can for their professional development and for the sake of their students 1.5 Scope of the study The focus of this study is teacher - teacher collaboration Other patterns of teacher collaboration such as teacher - student collaboration, teacher - parent collaboration, teacher - librarian collaboration, teacher - administrator collaboration will not be considered Therefore, the term “teacher collaboration” used throughout this paper has the meaning of “teacher - teacher collaboration” 10 About 50% of questionnaire participants agreed that teachers should be trained in collaboration skills One interviewee thought that it is necessary for the institutional or departmental administrators to make policies or regulations regarding teacher participation in TC Two interviewees shared the same idea that workshops and seminars should be given in different ways with a variety of topics in need Most interviewees claimed that teachers should be encouraged to organize their own TC activities, provided that these activities are helpful for their professional development 5.3 Implications 5.3.1 For Teachers Based on the findings of this study, the author would like to offer implications focusing on three major issues: time management, open-mindedness, and rewards for TC First, teachers should try to manage their time to increase participation in TC activities Most teachers complained that they felt a lot of stress and could not find time for TC because of commitments to family and pressure of work However, one or two hours per week for TC can help overworked teachers save time and energy Instead of spending an hour planning lessons alone, teachers can get ideas from their colleagues Instead of spending an hour brooding about a new teaching technique, teachers can go over it with their colleagues One or two hours per week for TC may help teachers feel at ease, too As some participants reflected, the time for TC could also be the time for teachers to relax and have fun together Many teachers argued that they could not find common time for TC because teachers at ESP department had to teach in different schools with different schedules and time slots However, TC does not require the participation of all teachers at the same time On the contrary, all TC activities provided in this study (peer observation, mentoring, peer coaching, team teaching, and study group) can be carried out in pairs or small groups It is unlikely to be true that two teachers 66 cannot have at least one hour in common during a busy week Pham (2001) believes that “all teachers can find some time in their busy schedules to engage in professional improvement activities [if] teachers want to change” (p.41) Second, teachers should be more open-minded, especially in giving and receiving feedback or new ideas Many teachers, especially novice teachers, were afraid of giving feedback They did not want to interfere in others’ business, to be thought as immodest, or to be judged by others Some teachers were afraid of revealing their weaknesses or silliness when expressing new ideas Those teachers should change this way of thinking and open their mind to TC Besides their own efforts to overcome this inner obstacle, a positive attitude from others, such as the willingness to receive feedback, is essential to help those teachers fight against such negative feelings It is crucial for all teachers to keep in mind an old saying that “Great teachers are not born; they develop over the course of their careers” A lot of teachers, on the other hand, worried about controversy occurring during TC Again, it is not a problem if teachers try to look at things from a different point of view Teachers should always bear in mind that personality differences and conflicting opinions are normal and inevitable in any collaborative task, as an old saying goes “many men, many minds” It will only be a problem if teachers make TC arguments become personal conflicts It cannot be a problem if teachers choose to see the positive side of the matter Actually, it is this diversity that benefits teachers a lot since it gives teachers opportunities to learn new ideas Third, teachers should re-think about the best reward for their participation in TC activities Most teachers suggested financial support as the strongest motivation for teacher participation in TC When asked whether teachers would participate more often in TC if they were provided with favorable conditions such as time and facilities, out of interviewees hesitated to give answers and finally said “It depends …” Meanwhile, all interviewees said “I think so” without hesitation to the question “If 67 teachers are paid for their participation in TC, you think they will it more often?” This opinion may be an explanation for the big gap between what teachers think and what teachers actually with TC It is crucial that teachers should re-consider what the best reward of TC is If teachers see their professional development, their students’ achievement, and their school’s success as the highest and most valuable rewards, it is possible that teachers will take more opportunities and even create more opportunities to engage in TC It can be drawn out from teachers’ suggestions that they are waiting for changes from the school leaders However, “Ongoing professional development is the responsibility of individual language teachers, rather than the schools, programs, or universities for which they work” (Bailey, Curtis, and Nunan, 2001, p.238) 5.3.2 For Administrators Implications for administrators emphasize three main tasks: affirm the purpose of TC, give support for TC, and create a collaborative environment for the school First, through words and actions, administrators should let teachers know the greatest purpose of TC is for teacher development, student achievement, and school success Many authors and researchers have proved that teachers feel less stressful and consequently participate more actively in TC on the condition that TC is not applied as a tool for evaluating teachers’ work Bailey, Curtis, and Nunan (2001) declare that TC is more effective and more beneficial if it does not serve administrative purposes Administrators’ commitment to TPD purpose of TC can encourage teachers to pursue TC as part of their daily activities This kind of approach, which may help maximize the potential of each teacher, is critical to the success of the college Second, administrators should provide support for teachers to conduct TC activities Brown (1994) says that one of the most interesting things about teaching is that teachers never stop learning Teaching is considered a lifelong journey of learning rather than a final destination of “knowing” how to teach To promote the idea that 68 teachers should join TC – a difficult but essential part of the journey, administrators should have policies to ensure that teachers have the needed support to go through this journey Teachers need to be provided with time, money, facilities, and training There should be a formal process that provides a substantial and regularly scheduled block of time for teachers to conduct TC activities This is quite necessary because TC is believed to be the most beneficial when it is job-embedded and becomes a part of teaching practice It means that TC should be carried out as daily or, at least, weekly activities besides once-or-twice-a-year traditional venues for TC, such as conferences or workshops What is more, teachers enthusiastically participating in TC activities should be provided with financial support (if it is possible) Though “voluntary” is the first principal quality of TC (Cook & Friend, 1991), some financial support can make teachers more serious and more responsible for TC Moreover, sufficient financial support can reduce teacher time for additional jobs and, as a result, create more time for TC In case the school cannot afford to this, there should exist some forms of praise or encouragement for teachers to conduct more TC activities In addition, facilities to ensure that TC activities occur, such as a common room for discussions or visual aids, should be taken into account Training in TC skills should be organized with the aim of making TC more effective Third, administrators should their best to create a collaborative environment in the college The success of TC often depends on the environment of the school If there is a climate of collegiality within the school, teachers may feel comfortable taking risks and asking for help In doing so, administrators should always pay much more attention to TC, especially to teacher-initiated activities, and assist teachers when they need it Administrators should always stimulate formal and informal methods for sharing expertise among faculty members, both within and across such organizational units as divisions and departments For example, a “Teacher Corner” 69 on the college’s website may be the room for teachers to talk about their teachings, exchange ideas, design materials, plan action research collaboratively, and so on Among a wide range of TC activities that teacher may apply, study groups should be taken into great consideration by the administrators with the purpose of building a learning community and creating a collaborative culture for the college Richardson (2001) claims that study groups are the most effective, cost-efficient way for teachers to learn what changes are needed in their practice and then to make those changes They also have the added benefit of building rapport, trust, and support According to DuFour and Eaker (2005), teachers engaged in study groups are able to learn from one another, thus creating momentum for continuing improvement Moreover, many study groups that share common goals can create the basic structure of schools as a professional learning community 5.4 Limitations of the Study This piece of research has some limitations as follows: - The scale of this study was restricted to ESP Department at HUCFL Therefore, it is not possible to generalize the findings of the study to teachers in other contexts - This study only focused on teacher – teacher collaboration Other patterns of teacher collaboration such as teacher - student collaboration, teacher - parent collaboration, teacher - librarian collaboration, teacher - administrator collaboration were not considered - Some issues were not analyzed thoroughly and deeply enough due to the author’s own constraints of knowledge and time Moreover, there might be some mistakes in this study due to technical problems In spite of the above limitations, the author hopes to have the readers’ sympathy and look forward to receiving any constructive comments on this study 70 5.5 Recommendations for Future Research Followings are some recommendations for future research on teacher collaboration: - Large-scale studies on teacher collaboration, or studies on teacher collaboration in different contexts - Studies on other patterns of teacher collaboration such as teacher - student collaboration, teacher - parent collaboration, teacher - librarian collaboration, and teacher - administrator collaboration - Studies on the collaboration between content teachers and language teachers in ESP teaching - Studies on technology-aided teacher collaboration (for example, TC via the Internet) - Studies on the impact of teacher collaboration on student achievements and school success - Case studies on how teacher collaboration helps teachers develop their profession 5.6 Concluding thoughts Ongoing professional development is extremely important, especially for teachers Scrivener (1994) states that “As a teacher you are also a learner … the moment you stop learning you also stop being involved in education” (p.200) Teacher collaboration, a critical part of teacher professional development, needs to be applied more frequently in order to break the isolation and connect teachers together As Edge (1992) points out: “The isolation of the teacher is exactly what holds us back We all too regularly limit teaching to an individual, subjective experience shared with no one As a direct result of this, we restrict our ability to develop as teachers” (Edge, 1992, pp 3-4; as cited in Bailey, Curtis, and Nunan, 2001, p.12) It can be seen from this study that language teachers at ESP department – HUCFL are well aware of the great impact of TC on teaching quality and on teachers themselves However, good awareness without action cannot make any difference 71 In 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