Extended research proposal
Influence of self-assessment to professional development of teachers An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself. I am happy to be both halves, the watcher and the watched. Albert Camus Self-assessment stands for one of the key elements of quality professional development in which individual is „‟watcher‟‟ and „‟the watched‟‟. This research proposal has two key words: self-assessment and professional development. Self-assessment and professional development influence each other in theory and in practice. In the following work, you can find definitions of self-assessment and professional development in wide range of their meanings, sometimes conditioned by the context in which both are performed. Self-assessment is assessment or evaluation of oneself or one’s actions, attitudes, or performance1 According to Boud (1995), all assessment including self-assessment comprises two main elements: making decisions about the standards of performance expected and then making judgments about the quality of the performance in relation to these standards.2 When it comes to search for the basic and more complex meaning of the self-assessment, I have come across to similar definitions, and most of them regard self-assessment as a tool for children to learn more about themselves or their achievements while few of researches point out self-assessment of teachers used as an instrument for professional development and improvement of teaching. Professional development: Professional Development is the continuous process of acquiring new knowledge and skills that relate to one’s profession, job responsibilities, or work environment. It plays a key role in maintaining trained, informed, and motivated employees, regardless of job classification3. Professional development shall be comprised of professional learning opportunities aligned with student learning and educator development needs, and school, school district, and/or State improvement goals4. These two definitions give us several important highlights and terms in further research of the topic, such as: continuous process, motivated workers, development needs. Research interest in this work relates to the influence of self-assessment to professional development of teachers. It is presumed that professional development is closely related to personal growth and provision of improved services in education of children. Both areas of development are conditioned by timely and holistic self-assessment and feedback. In feedback we need „‟the other side‟‟ who provides us with their own perception of our actions. In self1
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/self-assessment/12/03/2014/11:30
2
Spiller, D. 2012, Assessment Matters: Self-Assessment and Peer Assessment , Teaching Development|Wāhanga Whakapakari Ako 3
http://www.austincc.edu/hr/profdev/overview.php/12/03/12:15
4
Department of Education, 2013, New Definition of Professional Development and Standards for Professional Learning, New Jersey
1|Aleksandra Radoman-Kovačević, May 2014
Extended research proposal assessment one is building up its own ability to reflect, analyse and assess performance, results and hereby develop more independently. Beside this, self-assessment also improves ability to give more efficient and reliable feedback to others based on already organised system – selfassessment plan, standards and experience gained in this process. It also reflects on the teaching process and work with children providing the opportunities for more profound and wider learning. This type of learning is more process oriented learning which follows up the needs of the teacher and performer. The needs of the teacher in the classroom are closely connected to needs of children and therefore make the process of learning valuable for all. Opportunity to fulfil needs through our work and professional growth makes us more motivated and eager to perform and give the best in working environment, regardless of the area of interest, business or education professions or any other. Core issues raised in this work relate to: what is assessed, what are the standards for selfassessment, how teachers use self-assessment in professional development, what selfassessment tools can be used and do teachers plan their professional development related to self-assessment outcomes.
What is assessed?
What are the standards?
Performance, skills, knowledge, values, attitudes
Qualitative and quantitative indicators
How is it assessed?
How to go towards professional development? Action plan and implementation
Tools: questioners, assessment scales, analyses
2|Aleksandra Radoman-KovaÄ?ević, May 2014
Extended research proposal Defining elements assessed (performance, skills, knowledge, attitudes and values), providing standards to fulfil, choosing tools and planning professional development make starting circle of the ongoing process which continues with tracking the development and achievements, in the exact same order providing new level of development. Constant move of the circle, reaching new aims, makes self-assessment driving and leading force in achieving full potential of an individual and stirs up professional development. Already mentioned personal development and growth go together with the professional development, especially in education area. Why? Moving forward towards new opportunities, through process oriented learning, self-assessment becomes more important and shall support professional development, further and further tracking and sometimes leading other developments in the society, realities and needs of children. In following picture we have well known theory about personal and professional development through experience and self-reflection, seen as constant process in contexts which surround us. In the very middle there is the smallest circle pointing out our SAFE zone. These are all known facts about us, our reactions, performance, and outcomes of certain situations. In this zone we feel highly safe and comfortable. Stepping out to new situations and embracing new challenges, we spread our safe zone and feel comfortable in wider zone. Finding new things about ourselves through experience we embrace learning in CHALLENGE zone. Once our experience takes us to the place where we do not respond and do not know how, frightened and closed for new learning, we are in the PANIC zone. Widening challenge zone to the extent we feel can manage becomes key for productive learning through experience.
„If you want to feel secure Do what you already know how to do. But if you want to grow... Go to the cutting edge of your competence, Which means a temporary loss of security. So, whenever you don’t quite know What you are doing Know That you are growing...’ (Viscott, 2003) Process oriented learning, provided by experience based approach, gives more „material‟ to analyse, reflect and investigate one‟s own values, attitudes, skills, performance, knowledge and action. This makes the process oriented learning very dynamic. In terms of self-assessment and feedback Jo-Harry‟s window theory helps one to plan self-assessment and furthermore define standards. 3|Aleksandra Radoman-Kovačević, May 2014
Extended research proposal Jo-Harry‟s window can help in comprehensive understanding how the learning starts in terms of self-assessment and feedback. „A Jo-Harry‟s window is a psychological tool created by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955. It‟s a simple and useful tool for understanding and training: • self-awareness • personal development • improving communications • interpersonal relationships • group dynamics • team development; and • inter group relationships5 Jo-Harry‟s window refers to self and others and reveals several zones of learning and selfawareness as well as awareness of others. In terms of self-assessment and professional development Jo-Harry‟s window can serve as tool in self-discovery which is bases for further planning of self-improvement and self-assessment. In the research undertaken in Montenegrin Elementary Schools, with 169 teachers out of 16000 (1% of total teacher population) one can find an interesting conclusion regarding self-awareness and furthermore ability to perform self-assessment: Teachers claimed to have specific skills despite the fact that they have proven opposite during research undertaken.6 This research and other similar experiences put light into another aspect of self-assessment, which is subjective and objective point of view, leading an individual to professional growth or opposite. This aspect needs special attention in the research to be undertaken. The best tools used for self-assessment are ones that suit an individual and profession needs and giving answers to how our personal and professional growth happens. Some of the tools available for self-assessment are questionnaires, analyses and assessment scale. Good starting point for professional development is conditioned with level of motivation to progress, improve and grow as a professional.
5
http://www.selfawareness.org.uk/news/understanding-the-johari-window-model/11/05/2014/14:17
6
Kovacevic, S. 2012., ‘’The activities of international organisations in application of non-formal education in Montenegro'', Faculty of political sciences, University of Montenegro http://www.etcmne.com/the-activities-of-international-organisations-in-application-of-non-formal-education-in-montenegro.html
4|Aleksandra Radoman-Kovačević, May 2014
Extended research proposal Proposed literature for the research is following: Argyris, C. (1991, May/June), “Teaching smart people how to learn”, Harvard Business Review Boud, D., Cohen, R. and Walker, D. (1993), “Introduction: Understanding learning from experience”, in Boud, D., Cohen, R., and Walker, D. (eds.), Using Experience for Learning, Buckingham, England: The Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press Boud, D., Keogh, R. and Walker, D. (1985), “Promoting reflection in learning: A model”, in Boud, D.J, Keogh, R., and Walker, D. (eds.), Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning, London: Kogan Page Calderhead, J. and Gates, P. (eds.), (1993), Conceptualizing Reflection in Teacher Education, Falmer, London. Costa, A. L. & Kallick, B. (2008). Learning and leading with habits of mind: 16 essential characteristics for success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Council of Europe, 2007, European Portfolio for youth workers and youth leaders working in the context of non-formal education/learning, p.31. Dewey, J. (1933), How We Think: A Restatement of the Relation of Reflective Thinking to the Educative Process, Heath, Boston. Loughran, J.J. (1996), Developing Reflective Practice: Learning About Teaching and Learning Through Modeling, Falmer, Washington, DC. Radoman-Kovačević A., Kovačević S., 2011: Non – Formal Education of Adolescent Peer Leaders, Forum MNE, Podgorica Saphiers, J., Haley-Speca, M. A., & Gower, R. (2008). The skillful teacher: Building your teaching skills (6th ed.). Acton, MA: Research for Better Teaching. Teacher Self-Assessment Guide, 2011 Silver Strong & Associates. Whitehead, A.N. (1929a), The Aims of Education and Other Essays, The Free Press, New York.
Aleksandra Radoman-Kovačević Mob: +382 67 503 837 E-mail: aleksandra.radoman@gmail.com Linkendin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/aleksandra-radoman/42/9b7/189
5|Aleksandra Radoman-Kovačević, May 2014