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| LAYER 1. CODE KEY |
My first category of codes is "Documentation". This research question and its category seems to be inferior to the others due to its simplicity. I coded for how participants created their documentation. The class seemed interested in technology so I coded many points where videos, photographs or slideshow presentations were being used. Then, I coded for how that creative product was then applied either in the teacher's home classroom, or during one of the meetings.
The research question asked us to focus on how the documentation "facilitated professional learning". In my mind, the word facilitate is broad and can mean many things. I decided to link that part of the question to the second research question. By making the act of facilitating equal to inspiring, we can imagine that would aid in the growth of professional learning ultimately leading to a change, or a shift.
The second category is broken down into 3 main topics: shifts in thinking/perception, shifts in teaching, and shifts in learning. The first code, shifts in thinking and perception is different from the others in the category because it isn't broken down further into actions. How can we really demonstrate a shift in thinking when there are so few outwards signs of what is occurring in our individual, isolated minds? The second topic to be coded is shifts in teaching. I found that often, the teaching strategies were changed not by throwing out everything and starting new but by choosing to modify either process, product or content. This often was coded in connection to having to modify for younger students, mobile classrooms and not having the necessary tools. The shifts in teaching were also demonstrated through integrating student led or choice based strategies.
The last part in this category is shifts in learning. This is one of the most prevalent topics discussed through out all three scenes. I coded first for learning through social interactions. I found "connection", "relate", "share", "together", etc. to be words that kept coming up. The phrase that kept coming up was, "I'm going to steal that idea". In a sense, this shows us that we learn from each other just like our students learn from us. In the first scene, it is made clear that art teachers who exist "as islands" or are departments all on their own do not learn. The next code I created was for shifts in learning that occurred by using the senses. This mostly came from me finding the words, "see", "listen", "watch", "feel", and "hear" repeated through out the conversations.
Layer 3:
I found that the most data was in the description of students work. It was never just described as a piece of art. It was described as a moment, an experience, an event to be felt. The one thing that I thought was missing from the research question but found in the data was the category of "Emotions". Whenever a teacher described a successful work they used the word, "interesting" or "surprised". Teachers often spoke of feeling, "excited" and of their students, "excitement". The feeling of uncertainty, doubt or discomfort lead to teacher inquiry. While the teachers were describing their students work they used words like, "free" and "spontaneity". As these words continued to be used, I realized that the pattern indicated that the teachers felt this way because they either didn't consider the outcome to be an option, or thought of the outcome and had already concluded that it wouldn't work.
These two codes are very similar but the symbol I used to code them has meaning. In some instances, the teacher completely changes their role and allows students to make their own decisions starting from the first day. On the other hand, the filled in circle codes for the teachers that increase the number of choice that student have but still maintain control and make a "plan".
This code and the one before show up often together. This isn't a surprise as these two codes are both part of the educational worlds description of how students learn. The last two are a pair only because they both force teachers to reflect. One is shifts in learning through inquiry and the other is shifts in learning through comparisons. Both modes of self reflection can be used to figure out how to make an activity work better next time.
Layer 4:
Ultimately, the data leads me to believe that learning occurs along with shifts of the understanding of what is possible, or shifts in perception. This theory is upheld by the ideas presented on the use of narrative inquiry as a means of research by Elizabeth M. Delacruz in her article "Rituals of Research in the Storytelling Mode: Narrative Research as a Form of Authentic Inquiry, a Holistic Engagement, and Empowerment". In this article she suggests that sharing our personal narratives allow us to look authentically at the reality of others. In quantitative research, the patterns and people are interpreted as they are shown on the surface. However, this often has a tendency to disregard the challenges of oppresion and bias that present themselves to the subjects of research. It is the theory of narrative inquiry that shows us that for us to truly shift out perspective we must create relationships.
References
Meier, M. E. (2014). Narrative inquiry: Revealing experience. In M. L. Buffington & S. Wilson McKay (Eds.), Practice theory: Seeing the power of teacher researchers (pp. 222-226). Reston, VA: The National Art Education Association
The last part in this category is shifts in learning. This is one of the most prevalent topics discussed through out all three scenes. I coded first for learning through social interactions. I found "connection", "relate", "share", "together", etc. to be words that kept coming up. The phrase that kept coming up was, "I'm going to steal that idea". In a sense, this shows us that we learn from each other just like our students learn from us. In the first scene, it is made clear that art teachers who exist "as islands" or are departments all on their own do not learn. The next code I created was for shifts in learning that occurred by using the senses. This mostly came from me finding the words, "see", "listen", "watch", "feel", and "hear" repeated through out the conversations.
Layer 3:
I found that the most data was in the description of students work. It was never just described as a piece of art. It was described as a moment, an experience, an event to be felt. The one thing that I thought was missing from the research question but found in the data was the category of "Emotions". Whenever a teacher described a successful work they used the word, "interesting" or "surprised". Teachers often spoke of feeling, "excited" and of their students, "excitement". The feeling of uncertainty, doubt or discomfort lead to teacher inquiry. While the teachers were describing their students work they used words like, "free" and "spontaneity". As these words continued to be used, I realized that the pattern indicated that the teachers felt this way because they either didn't consider the outcome to be an option, or thought of the outcome and had already concluded that it wouldn't work.
These two codes are very similar but the symbol I used to code them has meaning. In some instances, the teacher completely changes their role and allows students to make their own decisions starting from the first day. On the other hand, the filled in circle codes for the teachers that increase the number of choice that student have but still maintain control and make a "plan".
This code and the one before show up often together. This isn't a surprise as these two codes are both part of the educational worlds description of how students learn. The last two are a pair only because they both force teachers to reflect. One is shifts in learning through inquiry and the other is shifts in learning through comparisons. Both modes of self reflection can be used to figure out how to make an activity work better next time.
Layer 4:
Ultimately, the data leads me to believe that learning occurs along with shifts of the understanding of what is possible, or shifts in perception. This theory is upheld by the ideas presented on the use of narrative inquiry as a means of research by Elizabeth M. Delacruz in her article "Rituals of Research in the Storytelling Mode: Narrative Research as a Form of Authentic Inquiry, a Holistic Engagement, and Empowerment". In this article she suggests that sharing our personal narratives allow us to look authentically at the reality of others. In quantitative research, the patterns and people are interpreted as they are shown on the surface. However, this often has a tendency to disregard the challenges of oppresion and bias that present themselves to the subjects of research. It is the theory of narrative inquiry that shows us that for us to truly shift out perspective we must create relationships.
References
Meier, M. E. (2014). Narrative inquiry: Revealing experience. In M. L. Buffington & S. Wilson McKay (Eds.), Practice theory: Seeing the power of teacher researchers (pp. 222-226). Reston, VA: The National Art Education Association
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