Understanding Teachers' Professional Cultures Through Interview: A Constructivist Approach

Educational Research

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Understanding Teachers' Professional Cultures Through Interview: A Constructivist Approach. / Knight, P. T.; Saunders, M. S.
In: Evaluation and Research in Education, Vol. 13, No. 3, 1999, p. 144-156.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article

Bibtex

@article{dda2c11929c043ceb52c8e9709a821df,

title = "Understanding Teachers' Professional Cultures Through Interview: A Constructivist Approach",

abstract = "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",

author = "Knight, {P. T.} and Saunders, {M. S.}",

year = "1999",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

pages = "144--156",

journal = "Evaluation and Research in Education",

issn = "0950-0790",

publisher = "Routledge",

number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding Teachers' Professional Cultures Through Interview: A Constructivist Approach

AU - Knight, P. T.

AU - Saunders, M. S.

PY - 1999

Y1 - 1999

N2 - 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

AB - 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

M3 - Journal article

VL - 13

SP - 144

EP - 156

JO - Evaluation and Research in Education

JF - Evaluation and Research in Education

SN - 0950-0790

IS - 3

ER -

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