| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立花蓮師範學院 === 國民教育研究所 === 87 === A collaborative action research on teachers’ growth groups
Abstract
The participation of teachers in professional development activities is recognized as the most important means of promoting teachers'' professionalism. Among various patterns of teachers'' professional activities, teachers'' growth-group(TGG) is still not common in Taiwan, although it is a very popular activity and its functions have been very impressive in advanced countries. In order to experience the process of TGG, this research utilized the collaborative action research method to investigate the means of implementing TGG activities in schools and their influences on teachers'' professionalism.
In the process of the research, two of my colleagues and I organized and led two TGGs. One group was made up of in-service teachers and met nine times. The other was made up of student teachers and met eleven times. Working as co-researchers, my colleagues and I would discuss our action strategies in our regular research meeting, which was usually held between two TGG meetings. In our research meetings, we would also discuss problems encountered in leading the two TGGs and revise our action strategies by analyzing feedback data such as observation notes, meeting summaries, interview records and reflective journals, etc. In the whole process of research, the research team gradually construct effective and practical knowledge about operating TGG through a cyclic-dialectic process.
For almost eight months of leading the two TGGs, the co-researchers made use of various effective group skills in leading the groups and enhancing group interactions, group-openness, trustfulness, and discussion atmosphere. In the meantime, in order to achieve the group goals and satisfy the group members'' needs, we developed six models of operation suitable for TGG. Besides, we also found that TGGs might not be able to avoid some negative group dynamics, although they could develop some positive group dynamics. As to the influences of TGG on teachers'' professional growth, we found that the TGG could stimulate teachers'' motivation of learning, enhance the interactions and communications among teachers, help student teachers'' adaptation in the school, promote teachers’ will for advanced learning in the school, and enhance the colleagues'' group cohesiveness. However, there also exists some limitations and drawbacks in implementing TGGs. In comparison, the two TGGs differed in the motivation of participation, the relationship between group leader and group members, the interaction among group members and the focus of group discussion, due to the differences of characteristics of the group members.
According the research result, we provide some suggestions regarding the implementation and operation of TGGs in schools for those who are interested in promoting the TGG activities.
Keywords：teachers'' growth group, teachers'' co-development group, teachers'' professional development, teachers'' professional growth, collaborative action research.
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