Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums

McKenney, S., Raval, H., & Pieters, J. (2011, 8-12 April). Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums. Presentation at AERA annual meeting, New Orleans.Although para-teachers make up a substantial portion of the world’s educational work force, little empirical research has been conducted on their professional development. During the iterative process of analysis, design, evaluation, and revision, design research was conducted to gain insight into desirable characteristics of a professional development program for Indian para-teachers in urban slums. The design study flanking evolution of the para-teacher professional development program helped (re)shape each cycle of implementation, and to track lasting effects on organizational climate, teacher agency and pupil learning. Because long-term, high-quality design studies in the field of education are rare, this paper focuses on the research approach, and its affordances for contributing to theory-development while also capturing and speaking to the needs of practitioners. This paper is highly relevant to those interested in seeing the design research approach come to life in cooperation with the stakeholders involved

Supporting Para-Teachers by Regularizing and Strengthening Planning, Enactment and Reflection of Daily Lessons

Raval, H., McKenney, S., & Pieters, J. (2012). Supporting para-teachers by regularizing and strengthening planning, enactment and reflection of daily lessons. Staff and Educational Development International, 16(1), 5-21.This study describes professional development of para- teachers in an Indian educational NGO, aimed at supporting them in adopting learner centered methods. Para-teacher learning was facilitated by introducing a daily routine of lesson planning, lesson enactment and lesson reflection. These were supported through workshops, microteaching, coaching activities. Interviews and lesson plan reviews reflected how para- teachers perceived their first professional development experience, what lesson planning skills they achieved and what enactment changes they perceived. The main conclusion of the study was that without any prior experience in lesson planning, through contextually suitable professional support, para- teachers tremendously gained knowledge and skills for well structured learner- centered oriented lesson planning. As compared to the pre professional development time, when enactment was ill-structured and rote-based, a shift towards better-structured and learner-centered orientation was apparent

Institutionalizing planning, enactment and reflection of daily lessons through appropriate organizational restructuring

Raval, H., McKenney, S., & Pieters, J. (2011). Institutionalizing planning, enactment and reflection of daily lessons through appropriate organizational restructuring. The Asia-Pacific Educational Researcher, 20(3), 438-435.This study describes a professional development program aimed at supporting para-teachers in an Indian educational NGO to adopt learner-centered approaches. Organizational factors inhibiting para-teacher learning were modified. A routine of lesson planning before, and reflection after daily enactment were introduced. This routine was supported through workshops, microteaching and coaching activities. Interviews and lesson plan reviews reflected what professional competencies were gained through the professional development experience. Interviews also helped to understand what role organizational changes played to help institutionalize the professional development activities. The study concluded that although para-teachers did not previously plan lessons, they had acquired the knowledge and skills for well-structured learner-centered oriented lesson planning. As compared to the pre-professional development time, when enactment was ill-structured and rote-based, a shift towards better-structured and learner-centered orientation was apparent. Para-teachers felt confident; felt able to plan work efficiently towards creating time for lesson-preparation; and experienced greater capacity to support their own learning and collaborate with peers. Organizational changes demonstrated that the management was supportive of the para-teacher concerns. Heads Supervisors of para-teachers, as new coaches within modified organizational conditions, reported that their learning about how to coach improved with experience, which shows that their learning grew alongside para-teacher learning

Remedial teaching in Indian under-resourced communities:: Professional development of para-teachers

This paper presents a summative evaluation of a professional development program for para-teachers within an Indian NGO. The program aimed to support para-teachers in well-structured learner-centered enactment by introducing planning and reflection of daily lessons. The study investigated lesson plans, enactment and pupil outcomes to assess the extent to which para-teachers could plan and enact well-structured learner centered lessons. The study suggests strong evidence that the program was successful in helping para-teachers achieve greater quality of lesson planning, enactment and pupil learning

A conceptual model for supporting para-teacher learning in an Indian non-governmental organization.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are being recognized globally for their influential role in realizing the UN Millennium Development Goal of education for all in developing countries. NGOs mostly employ untrained para-educators for grassroots activities. The professional development of these teachers is critical for NGO effectiveness, yet para-teacher learning in such contexts is rarely researched. To facilitate much-needed research on para-teacher professional development, this article offers a contextually relevant on- the-job learning model for para-teachers. The model suggests that para-educators can effectively learn when their work and learning are integrated by systematizing a simple daily cyclical routine of lesson planning, enactment and reflection for everyday instruction. It also suggests other supports to stimulate learning alongside the cyclical routine

Understanding the design research process: The evolution of a professional development program in Indian slums

Although para-teachers make up a substantial portion of the world’s educational work force, little empirical research has been conducted on their professional development. During the iterative process of analysis, design, evaluation, and revision, design research was conducted to gain insight into desirable characteristics of a professional development program for Indian para-teachers in urban slums. The design study flanking evolution of the para-teacher professional development program helped (re)shape each cycle of implementation, and to track lasting effects on organizational climate, teacher agency and pupil learning. Because long-term, high-quality design studies in the field of education are rare, this paper focuses on the research approach, and its affordances for contributing to theory-development while also capturing and speaking to the needs of practitioners. This paper is highly relevant to those interested in seeing the design research approach come to life in cooperation with the stakeholders involved

Contextual Factors that Foster or Inhibit Para‐Teacher Professional Development: The Case of an Indian, Non‐Governmental Organization

The appointment of para-professionals to overcome skill shortages and/or make efficient use of expensive resources is well established in both developing and developed countries. The present research concerns para-teachers in India. The literature on para-teachers is dominated by training for special needs settings, largely in developed societies. Little has been published about para-teachers working in developing countries with children without disabilities, despite this being a common occurrence. The present research investigates how contextual factors influence the design and implementation of professional support for para-teachers. The research participants were 12 para-teachers and five management and administrative staff. Contextual factors included characteristics of para-teachers, classrooms and students from under-resourced settings; and the practices and policies found in a non-school educational setting, here a non-governmental organization. The study indicates that each factor has potentially enhancing and hindering effects which need to be taken into consideration when designing and implementing professional development work

Portraying the design research cycle: Professional development in Indian slums

Although para-teachers make up a substantial portion of the world’s educational work force, little empirical research has been conducted on their professional development. During the iterative process of analysis, design, evaluation, and revision, design research was conducted to gain insight into desirable characteristics of a professional development program for Indian para-teachers in urban slums. The design study flanking evolution of the para-teacher professional development program helped (re)shape each cycle of implementation, and to track lasting effects on organizational climate, teacher agency and pupil learning. Because long-term, high-quality design studies in the field of education are rare, this paper focuses on the research approach and its affordances for contributing to theory-development while also capturing and speaking to the needs of practitioners