Developing professional knowledge about teachers through metaphor research: facilitating a process of change

Abstract

This paper draws upon research evidence obtained as metaphors from biographical narrative interviews of Mandarin teachers of English working in China, which has illustrated the problems of teachers adapting to change in Chinese schools. The research has attempted to explore teachers' professional adaptation under strenuous challenges, that is, the need to cater for school performance league tables and the new Chinese National Curriculum. While some teachers appear to be more open towards the new challenges, many others are alienated. The research suggests that this phenomenon can be explained by the wider Chinese context of educational policies that seek decentralization and marketization. This process of educational and cultural change is discussed in terms of what continuing professional development best facilitates teachers to cope with and embrace this emerging educational agenda. An appropriate CPD program is identified and recommended that seeks to develop a ‘critical and creative‐thinking’ education system that both empowers and supports teachers to engage within a forward‐looking knowledge economy.

Keywords:

• metaphor research
• biographical narrative
• teacher adaptation
• CPD
• advanced pedagogy