CCEAM 2006

Collaborative practitionersA new perspective

on organising in schools

Chris James University of Bath, UK

Collaborative practitioners

The intention: to present a conceptual analysis to present an empirical illustration to develop the collaborative

practitioner model to raise some questions for

discussion

Collaborative practitioners

The questions: Does collaborative practice require

particular forms of leadership and if so, what are they?

Are there different levels of collaborative practice and if so, how might they be characterised?

Does collaborative practice take different forms in different settings and if so what are they?

What are the characteristics of collaborative practitioners and how might those characteristics be developed?

Collaborative practitioners

Collaboration A recent development and focus of interest Central to UK government policy Various forms: partnership, federation,

collaboration Collaboration – joint working Inter-institutional collaboration ‘Professional (learning) communities’ ‘Communities of practice’ – for what? ‘Crowds’ can be both wise and reckless -

reflection. Collaboration requires a purpose

Collaboration

Collaborative practitioners

Reflective practice Origins: Dewey, Schon, professional practice The nature: Context, reflection in and on action, an

epistemology of practice Development of the concept: Levels: technical, practical, emancipatory Purposes: the different knowledge interests The meanings ‘profession’ and ‘professional’ - can

be applied to a wider set of occupations - “Good Work”

Critique: Individual - the role of others is not stressed What is the focus of reflective practice?

Reflective Practice

Collaborative practitioners

The primary task The task an organisation must

perform to survive Work groups, have a tendency to

avoid work on the primary task The normative, existential and

phenomenal primary tasks Critique: Typically

conceptualised as ‘present’ rather than ‘future’.

Primary Task

Collaborative practitioners

An empirical illustration The case study of 18 primary

schools in Wales UK where pupil attainment in national test scores was high despite the pupils experiencing high levels of socio-economic disadvantage

Collaborative practitioners

Collaborative practitioners

The primary task Ensuring effective teaching for

learning for all pupils Ensuring enriched teaching for

learning for all pupils Improving and further enriching

teaching and learning for all pupils

Primary Task

Collaborative practitioners

Collaboration Collaboration was highly

inclusive An expectation of conformance Secure and straightforward

working relationships The development of the team

Collaboration

Collaborative practitioners

Reflective practice Reflective organising Reflective teaching Reflection at all levels

Reflective Practice

Collaborative practitioners

The model

Collaboration Reflective Practice

Primary Task

Collaborative practitioners

The model

Collaboration Reflective Practice

Primary Task

Collaborative Practice

Collaborative practitioners

Collaboration

Reflective Practice

Collaborative practitioners

The questions: Does collaborative practice require

particular forms of leadership and if so, what are they?

Are there different levels of collaborative practice and if so how might they be characterised?

Does collaborative practice take on different forms in different settings and if so what are they?

What are the characteristics of collaborative practitioners and how might those characteristics be developed?