Collaborative self-study of online teaching in early childhood teacher education

Abstract

Six academics at a regional university in Australia engaged in collaborative research examining their teaching and learning practices, their current understandings and beliefs about teacher education pedagogy and, specifically, the online teaching and learning environments. This collegial self-study project was guided by the goal of achieving professional learning through participation and active reflection on pedagogical practices, as well as exploring linkages and continuities between the courses within two nested degree programmes in which the researchers teach. The article focuses on how the faculty implemented the self-study research project and shows how the negotiated transition supported each researcher to engage deeply with socioconstructionist theories within the pedagogy of an online environment.

Keywords:

• distance education
• online teaching and learning
• professional learning
• self-study
• socioconstructionism
• teacher education