Chapters authored
The Practice Architectures of Pedagogy: Conceptualising the Convergences between Sociality, Dialogue, Ontology and Temporality in Teaching Practices
Amidst constant waves of research seeking to understand and improve pedagogical practices in schools, this chapter positions pedagogy as social practice rather than a more commonly held view of pedagogy as method. It is a view of pedagogy that is centrally interested in the sociality, situatedness and happeningness of practices, and thus requires a theory of practice that treats it as socially, dialogically, ontologically and temporally constituted. Capitalising on the ‘practice turn’ in education, the chapter utilises the theory of practice architectures to consider the relationship between pedagogy, practice and practice architectures. It will be argued that pedagogical practices as they happen in lessons cannot be understood without a theory of practice that explains (especially for teachers) how practices unfold discursively through language and sequences of time, and how they are interwoven (enmeshed or entangled) with sites, not just ‘set’ in them. Empirical material from recorded primary school lessons will be used to illustrate particular practice architectures or cultural-discursive, the material-economic and the social-political arrangements that influence the conduct of pedagogical practice as it happens in classrooms. The chapter seeks to address these three broad questions: (1) how does the theory of practice architectures enhance understandings of pedagogy? (2) in what ways does this theory help us to understand pedagogy as social practice? and (3) what influences pedagogical decision making as it happens in the flow of instruction?
Part of the book: New Pedagogical Challenges in the 21st Century
Knowing Pedagogical Dialogues for Learning: Establishing a Repertoire of Classroom Interaction Practices as Core Teaching Practice
Pedagogical talk in classroom lessons forms the dynamism of teaching and learning. Understanding how talk functions and influences learning in highly nuanced ways is a fundamental matter for understanding professional practice, and indeed teacher efficacy. However, it is often the case that preservice teacher’s (PSTs) explicit knowledge about the role of dialogue for accomplishing lessons hovers above understanding and enacting a repertoire of talk moves that ‘actively’ promotes student learning and agency. Indeed, both a meta-awareness of dialogic approaches to teaching, and a metalanguage language for talking about talk in lessons, is generally limited to cursory knowings focused on questioning. Arguably, this limitation has the potential to restrict student learning when PSTs begin their teaching careers. The chapter draws on a three-year empirical study conducted in a teacher education faculty in rural Australia. The study centred on supporting PSTs understand dialogicality as core to teaching and to practise enacting quality pedagogical dialogues in classrooms with students. Specifically, this chapter argues that to be productive it is necessary for PSTs to understand, develop and practise a repertoire of interactive talk moves that treat student contributions in discussions as critical for the accomplishment of productive learning experiences.
Part of the book: Contemporary Pedagogies in Teacher Education and Development