Supporting teacher learning for pedagogical innovation through collaborative co-design: issues and challenges

Abstract

This study reports on an in-depth analysis of two teachers’ implementation of one collaboratively designed curriculum unit in the context of the school’s participation in an e-learning initiative to integrate ICT use in the grade 5 General Studies curriculum. The analysis reveals significant differences in the actual implementation as well as in the students’ learning outcomes achieved. While both teachers ventured beyond their comfort zone to provide more opportunities for student interactions and explorations, the enacted implementations reflect differences in the learning goals they targeted and their knowledge of practice. Visualizations of learning analytics did not trigger further exploration among teachers, though these reveal strong links between learning outcomes and the enacted curriculum. Findings raise questions about collaborative instructional design as a model for organizing teacher learning for pedagogical innovation, and the paper proposes design principles and further research to better facilitate innovation-focused professional development.