A case study of a pilot teacher study group in Senegal

• Main Author: Frazier, Julia R.
• Published: Leeds Beckett University 2009
• Subjects: 370.711
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.508744

This case study describes the experience of an American researcher and eight Senegalese high school English teachers piloting a teacher study group (TSG) in order to explore whether TSGs might be effective as professional development in Senegal. The most effective forms of professional development support teacher learning in both content and pedagogy, taking into account the importance of context, culture, and personal experience. In Senegal, resources for professional development are limited and teachers face challenges that include large class size, limited instructional resources, and the pressure of high stakes testing. TSGs, a type of collaborative professional development, could meet the criteria of effective professional development activities while being feasible in the challenging educational landscape of Senegal. This study sought to discover if implementing TSGs could be logistically feasible, if they could have value as professional development in that setting, and if the participants (teachers and administrators) saw value in them as professional development. The results of this study indicate that logistically it does seem feasible to form TSGs in Senegal. The challenges that faced this group do not seem insurmountable. It seems that this group could be an effective form of professional development because not only did the teachers engage in discussions which deepened their pedagogical and content knowledge through collaborative reflection, but they did this in a manner consistent with their context and culture. The teachers, without exception, perceived their participation in the group as a valuable learning experience. The administrators' perceptions of the groups were varied, but more positive than negative. Overall, TSGs seem to be a valuable professional development activity to explore further in Senegal and in other settings facing similar challenges. How TSGs could be adapted to meet the needs of teachers and administrators is discussed using insights gained from this group's experience.