1. Bristol 25.03.2009 In-service education for and with teachers: Blended learning as a means to initiate teacher learning Bettina Rösken, University of Duisburg-Essen Günter Törner, University of Duisburg-Essen, Lutz Hellmig, University of Rostock

2. Bristol 25.03.2009 In particular, I would like to let the individuality of a teacher’s confer freedom. I believe more in the effectiveness of personalities than that of sophisticated methods and curricula (as cited in Schubring, 2000, p. 70) Professional Development A vision by Felix Klein

3. Bristol 25.03.2009 Professional Development... is Lifelong Learning... Instead of teaching, I told stories. Anything to keep them quiet and in their seats. They thought I was teaching. I thought I was teaching. I was learning.... Teacher Man, Frank McCourt (2005)

4. Bristol 25.03.2009 Professional Development... is Everyday Learning  In-service training is at first, just another name for the everyday life of the job (Tenorth, 2007).  Professional development takes place, when talking to colleagues, participating in school conferences reflecting about teaching practice planning next teaching... (e.g. Loucks-Horsley et. al., 2003)  In-service training initiatives are implemented in a context of learning (cf. Guskey, 2000; Tenorth, 2007)

5. Bristol 25.03.2009 Professional Development... and Educational Demands  Educational reforms continuously constitute demands that teachers are supposed to meet (Day & Sachs, 2004)  High-achieving nations invest in their teachers (Wei et al., 2009):  More than 85% of schools in Belgium, Denmark, Finland etc. provide time each week for teachers’ professional collaboration  In South-Korea, Japan, and Singapore, teachers spend only about 35% of their working time in the classroom: the rest is for working together

6. Bristol 25.03.2009 Educational demands “Teachers should...” Teachers‘ needs Professional Development... in Conflicting Contexts Professional development takes place in a field of tension “Administration should...”

7. Bristol 25.03.2009 Professional Development... Challenges  Most studies are about teachers, instead of being for and with them (Malara & Zan, 2002)  The overriding image is still the deficient teacher (da Ponte, 2007)  Top-down implementation is easy to get started but...  Whose project is it? Who owns it? (Kohonen, 2007)  Statement of an interviewed teacher reflecting new movements in Germany:  “Set theory came, set theory went”...  Consequence: No changes in the classroom

8. Bristol 25.03.2009 Professional Development... Different Philosophies Traditional Approaches:  Focus on content  Well arranged frame  Narrow goals  Based on bringing outside knowledge to the teachers (Krainer, 1996)  Grounded in a knowledge- for-praxis conception  Innovative Approaches:  Sensitive to teachers’ needs  Consider community aspects  Are not of the type ”either/or”, but ”both/and" (Lieberman, 2007)  Grounded in a knowledge- of-practice conception  cf. Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999 Krainer, 1996; Sowder, 2007

9. Bristol 25.03.2009 ‘Mathematics Done Differently’ Aims and Scope  Concerned with spreading and broadening existing local or regional PD programs in different thematic fields under one roof and to design new ones according to teachers‘ needs.  Sponsored by Telekom’s Charitable Foundation  Project duration: 01/2007 - 08/2009  In charge of the project: Jürg Kramer, Humboldt University Berlin, Günter Törner, University of Duisburg-Essen

10. Bristol 25.03.2009  Data collection by a questionnaire (Rösken & Törner, 2007)  Data collection by interviews (Rösken, in press)  Information about interesting topics and conditions were collected  Dimensions structuring teachers‘ needs and expectations were identified ‘Mathematics Done Differently’ Identifying teachers’ needs

11. Bristol 25.03.2009 ‘Mathematics Done Differently’ The ‘PD iceberg’ Hidden dimensions relevant for teachers Dimensions identified by research

12. Bristol 25.03.2009 ‘Mathematics Done Differently’ Philosophy and Design of the Project Marketization  Professional development is understood as a market, being dependent on supply and demand.  Teachers need a supportive cultures  Professional development must be needs-based education  The market involves all expertise in the field of education

13. Bristol 25.03.2009  Showing appreciation for teachers  Connecting research and practice: “trainers” operate as tandems of researchers and teachers  Involving expertise of our colleagues: courses “à la carte“  Mathematical content oriented models  Pedagogical methods oriented models  International models  Considering teachers needs: courses “on demand” ‘Mathematics Done Differently’ Constitutive Characteristics (I)

14. Bristol 25.03.2009 ‘Mathematics Done Differently’ Constitutive Characteristics (II)  Addressing groups of teachers from one school or neighboring ones  Offering elaborated course material on the homepage  Evaluating the single course and all courses  Flexibility of the project

15. Bristol 25.03.2009 4. Mathematics Done Differently - A PD Initiative (III) Overview on the Course Situation CoursesApril, 2007 to March, 2009 Performed Courses178 Scheduled Courses33 In Preparation28 Total245

16. Bristol 25.03.2009 ‘Mathematics Done Differently’ Overarching research-based model of PD

17. Bristol 25.03.2009  Thank you!  bettina.roesken@uni-due.de  guenter.toerner@uni-due.de