Enhancing inclusion through the collective activity of collaboration: a cultural historical activity theory perspective

ABSTRACT

This research study focuses on how teachers experience, negotiate and resolve tensions through the collaboration with other teachers and members of staff and the factors which may influence, support or undermine their role as inclusive teachers. For the purposes of this study, we drew upon Cultural Historical Activity Theory framework to examine the interconnectedness of the factors that may influence teachers’ collaborative activities. We used Cyprus as our case study to explore the collective activity of collaboration (or lack of) between teachers and other members of staff in the school system. Research data revealed that teachers are increasingly aware of the value the collaboration with other teachers as a means to achieve inclusion more successfully. However, a number of factors including professional factors and contextual factors such as increased workload, lack of additional personnel in classrooms, curriculum demands and home-school relationship were found to create tensions in the activity of collaboration and consequently to affect the implementation of inclusion in the school system.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaboration
• cultural Historical Activity Theory
• inclusive practice
• inclusion

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elena Anastasiou

Dr. Elena Anastasiou is a Lecturer of Special Educational Needs, Department of Education, at the University of Nicosia, Distance Learning Programme in Nicosia, Cyprus. She was awarded her PhD in Education and MSc in Educational Research by the University of Manchester respectively and her MA in Special Needs by the University of Nottingham. She has obtained her Bachelor of Primary Education at the University of Cyprus. Dr. Anastasiou’s professional research interests include Special Educational Needs, Dyslexia and/or Specific Learning Difficulties, Inclusive Education and teachers’ professional development and training. She has an extensive experience as an external consultant and project manager in a number of EU projects on inclusive education and practice, immigration and disability. Dr. Anastasiou has published articles in academic journals on intercultural education and inclusive education. Her latest article is in an international peer-reviewed journal and it is entitled as ‘iDecide: supporting inclusive decision-making in European schools’.

Christina Hajisoteriou

Dr. Christina Hajisoteriou is an Associate Professor of Intercultural Education, Department of Education, at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus. She was awarded her PhD and MPhil in Education by the University of Cambridge and her first-class honours BA in Primary Education by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Dr. Hajisoteriou has been pursuing and maintaining an interdisciplinary active research agenda in the fields of Inclusion and Intercultural Education. She has published or edited seven books and more than 50 articles and chapters in international peer-reviewed and highly ranked journals and edited books. In 2016, Palgrave-Macmillan published her book with Professor Angelides entitled ‘The Globalisation of Intercultural Education: The Politics of Macro-Micro Integration’. Her latest book with Professor Angelides was published in 2018 by Diadrasi Publishers and is entitled ‘Europeanisation and intercultural education: From the supranational to the school level’.