Elaine Wilson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Elaine Wilson

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2020

Pressure and influences on school leaders as school policy makers during COVID-19 have made the t... more Pressure and influences on school leaders as school policy makers during COVID-19 have made the task of interpreting, translating and implementing guidance more a complex and essential operation. School leaders need to prioritise and balance ever-changing government policy advice, against limitations of school buildings, the welfare of students and staff as well as the needs of the communities their schools serve. By surveying and interviewing headteachers, senior leaders and governors, this paper identifies the inputs school leaders have had to react and respond to when creating policy in the context of COVID-19. The paper addresses the nature of, and factors affecting, pressures school leaders feel in authoring policy. The considerable challenges school-based policy makers face in implementing social distancing policy are non-trivial and increase tension to what is already highly stressful work. The report draws on data collected from a randomised, stratified sample of primary and secondary school leaders from across England in early June 2020, during the time of social distancing and school closure for most students. Findings suggest quality, quantity and frequency of top-down communication have contributed to school leader stress, while horizontal communication and collaboration between school leaders and across school communities helped to support leaders during rapid change. We recommend government and the education sector address communication, collaboration and change, to harness the challenges and opportunities identified by school leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, 2019

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of processes in operation during the ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of processes in operation during the implementation of a reform programme in Kazakhstan culminating in the widespread adoption of Lesson Study (LS). Design/methodology/approach The study is positioned within a critical realist theoretical perspective, drawing on Archer’s social theory to focus on the social world of the school while changes to classroom practice are being made. This is a case study using process tracing methods to analyse how school actions and interactions are used during the change process resulting in widespread implementation of LS. Findings Three key mechanisms for implementing the structural changes are identified; increasing teacher’s pedagogical knowledge, collaborative working structures and active collective inquiry. The capacity to change practice is underpinned by reflection on classroom interactions and in having the necessary skills and available time to analyse the effect on pupils’ learning....

International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, 2017

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework describing teachers’ affective and co... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework describing teachers’ affective and cognitive thought processes, as well as the sensemaking and decision making ongoing within them, during the various stages of the appropriation of an educational innovation. Design/methodology/approach The Rubicon model of action phases, borrowed from psychology, is first used as a lens to understand teachers’ will. The model is subsequently adapted to reconcile it with existing literature on teacher beliefs, teacher sensemaking, and teachers’ resistance. Findings The proposed framework shows that teachers’ appropriation of an educational innovation is multi-layered and multi-dimensional. This contradicts appropriation as simply a procedural implementation of research recommendations, culminating in only success or failure. Originality/value The paper sensitises policymakers, school leaders, and teacher educators to the complexity of the appropriation process. The proposed framework serves...

Focused clearly on the needs of the new classroom researcher, this book is a thorough and thought... more Focused clearly on the needs of the new classroom researcher, this book is a thorough and thoughtful guide to the research process. The book helps new teachers beginning to use research literature to ask questions about published work, by considering the standpoint ...

Improving Schools, 2021

Teaching is understood to be a highly stressful profession. In England, workload, high-stakes acc... more Teaching is understood to be a highly stressful profession. In England, workload, high-stakes accountability policies and pupil behaviour are often cited as stressors that contribute to teachers’ decisions to leave posts in the state-funded sector. Many of these teachers leave state teaching to take jobs in private schools, but very little is known about the nature of teachers’ work in the private sector. This research addresses this gap in knowledge and compares the sources of stress experienced by 20 teachers in the state sector to those of 20 teachers in the private sector. The paper is based on qualitative data from a larger study. It analyses data collected in interviews and focus groups with classroom teachers and middle leaders working in mainstream primary and secondary phase education in England. The results emphasise state school teachers’ acute distress in relation to workloads driven by accountability cultures. In comparison, private school teachers report less intense e...

The most important factor influencing childrens' learning of school subjects is having really... more The most important factor influencing childrens' learning of school subjects is having really good teachers in every classroom. The second most important factor is school leadership and instructional leadership is the critical component of being a school Director. The work of instructional leaders is to ensure that every day in every classroom, every student has a highly challenging, positive and successful learning experience. To achieve this requires instructional leaders who believe it is their responsibility to lead the improvement of teaching and the improvement of all childrens' learning (Coldren & Spillane, 2007).

Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 2010

This paper reports outcomes of a project in which five teachers developed a web‐based user guide ... more This paper reports outcomes of a project in which five teachers developed a web‐based user guide to integrating new technologies in secondary science teaching. The guide aimed to support the initial education of trainee teachers, and the professional development of ...

Social Psychology of Education, 2008

Teachers often approach teaching with an energy and enthusiasm to inspire their students with the... more Teachers often approach teaching with an energy and enthusiasm to inspire their students with their skills and knowledge. However, when faced with students who are not fully engaged in their learning, teachers sometimes find it difficult and frustrating to communicate the subject knowledge. This paper looks at the importance of teachers reflecting regularly on their teaching with thoughts not just about the communication of subject knowledge, but combining this with the emotions and affective experiences of themselves and their students. We interviewed 11 new secondary science teachers about their first 3 years of teaching and in particular, questions were directed at their relationships in school, communication with students, the ideal lesson and reflection. Our findings revealed that teachers who were most successful when faced with adversities in the classroom, were those who appreciated that, as well as communicating subject knowledge, there is also a need for affective communication with the student. Many of the teachers we spoke to emphasised the importance of establishing a rapport with their students, and especially when they were disengaged and disinterested in learning. The data highlight the importance of conceptualising teaching and learning as encompassing both affect and cognition in order to have a balanced and healthy view of teaching, learning, the student and the school. Keywords Affect • Cognition • Newly-qualified • Interview • Teaching There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul.

Social Psychology of Education, 2010

Abstract The quest to understand what it means to 'become'a teacher and... more Abstract The quest to understand what it means to 'become'a teacher and the conditions in which such aspirations can be translated into lived experience, continues to exercise teacher educators and researchers alike. Whilst the literature points towards the ...

Improving Schools, 2010

Recent research has highlighted the merits of consulting children in both primary and secondary s... more Recent research has highlighted the merits of consulting children in both primary and secondary schools about their teaching and learning. This article looks at the effectiveness of pupil voice in not only maximizing the potential of pupils and students but also the consequences for helping teachers in turn — and especially newly qualified teachers, who might encounter obstacles during their early months of teaching. Interviews were conducted with 11 secondary school science teachers in their first three years of teaching in order to ascertain the quality of teaching and the degree to which teachers felt that they were successful in communicating the subject matter to their students. The findings showed that consulting young people is one way of responding to the needs of teachers as well as to the pupils themselves and we discuss the potential of pupil voice in harnessing the thoughts and feelings of pupils and ultimately achieving effective teaching and learning.

Educational Action Research, 2004

The development of beginning teachers' practice during a school placement is a multiplic... more The development of beginning teachers' practice during a school placement is a multiplicity of mediated interactions between university-and school-based systems. Both systems have the common aim of training effective teachers. However, day-to-day internal institution ...

Educational Studies, 2009

British Educational Research Journal

The pressures and influences experienced by school leaders as school policymakers, during the fir... more The pressures and influences experienced by school leaders as school policymakers, during the first responses to COVID‐19 pandemic, made their task of interpreting, translating and implementing school guidance both difficult and stressful. During COVID‐19 pandemic, school leaders faced challenges to prioritise and balance ever‐changing government policy advice with the limitations of school buildings, the welfare of students and staff, and the needs of communities, a task made complicated by the methods of communication used by government. By surveying and interviewing headteachers, senior leaders and governors, this article identifies the reactions and responses of school leaders who construct and enact policy in the context of COVID‐19 pandemic. The article addresses the nature of, and factors affecting, pressures school leaders feel in authoring and implementing policy. These pressures are non‐trivial and increase tension in already highly stressful work. The report draws on data collected from a randomised, stratified sample of primary and secondary school leaders from across England in early June 2020, during the time of national lockdown and remote learning. Findings suggest quality, quantity and frequency of top‐down communication contributed to school leader stress, while horizontal communication and collaboration between school leaders and across school communities supported leaders during rapid change. We recommend that government and the Department of Education strengthen and streamline stressful communication systems while building cooperative communities, mitigating against the challenges identified by school leaders during the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of British Educational Research Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

CAMBRIDGE JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, 2020

This qualitative study explores the types of school-level teacher wellbeing initiatives reported ... more This qualitative study explores the types of school-level teacher wellbeing initiatives reported by 51 teachers. The authors argue that the most well-received wellbeing measures are those embedded within supportive whole school cultures which aim to minimise burdensome workloads and maximise feelings of autonomy, relatedness and competence. Analysis shows that the least effective initiatives were those that reacted to a perceived problem, but did not seek to address the cause of perceived poor wellbeing. In some cases, activities such as compulsory cooking or sports sessions infringed upon teachers’ basic needs for autonomy. Such initiatives acted as a barrier to teacher wellbeing when they were seen to respond to a perceived demand for accountability, or contribute to burdensome workloads by placing additional demands on teachers’ time. Overall, teachers favoured school policies and practices which were conducive to promoting meaningful workloads, rather than one-off or limited-dur...

Cambridge Journal of Education

This qualitative study explores the types of school-level teacher wellbeing initiatives reported ... more This qualitative study explores the types of school-level teacher wellbeing initiatives reported by 51 teachers. The authors argue that the most well-received wellbeing measures are those embedded within supportive whole school cultures which aim to minimise burdensome workloads and maximise feelings of autonomy, relatedness and competence. Analysis shows that the least effective initiatives were those that reacted to a perceived problem, but did not seek to address the cause of perceived poor wellbeing. In some cases, activities such as compulsory cooking or sports sessions infringed upon teachers’ basic needs for autonomy. Such initiatives acted as a barrier to teacher wellbeing when they were seen to respond to a perceived demand for accountability, or contribute to burdensome workloads by placing additional demands on teachers’ time. Overall, teachers favoured school policies and practices which were conducive to promoting meaningful workloads, rather than one-off or limited-duration wellbeing activities.

International Journal of Social Research Methodology

Teacher Development, 2016

A cascade model of professional development presents a particular risk that 'knowledge' promoted ... more A cascade model of professional development presents a particular risk that 'knowledge' promoted in a programme will be diluted or distorted as it passes from originators of the programme to local trainers and then to the target teachers (Soloman and Tresman 1999; Kennedy 2005). Careful monitoring of trainers' and teachers' knowledge as it is transferred through the system is therefore imperative. This paper focuses on the transfer of content knowledge through an in-service teacher professional development programme and offers an innovative methodology for investigating knowledge transfer, i.e. through insights gained during a mentoring process. The findings suggest that this methodology facilitated assessment of knowledge transfer because it involved the identification of knowledge in practice. The focus on knowledge in practice appeared to avoid a deficit model of trainers'/ teachers' knowledge and revealed that content knowledge was generally being successfully transferred throughout the system. A detailed analysis of different aspects of content knowledge transfer suggested various foci for additional training.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2020

Pressure and influences on school leaders as school policy makers during COVID-19 have made the t... more Pressure and influences on school leaders as school policy makers during COVID-19 have made the task of interpreting, translating and implementing guidance more a complex and essential operation. School leaders need to prioritise and balance ever-changing government policy advice, against limitations of school buildings, the welfare of students and staff as well as the needs of the communities their schools serve. By surveying and interviewing headteachers, senior leaders and governors, this paper identifies the inputs school leaders have had to react and respond to when creating policy in the context of COVID-19. The paper addresses the nature of, and factors affecting, pressures school leaders feel in authoring policy. The considerable challenges school-based policy makers face in implementing social distancing policy are non-trivial and increase tension to what is already highly stressful work. The report draws on data collected from a randomised, stratified sample of primary and secondary school leaders from across England in early June 2020, during the time of social distancing and school closure for most students. Findings suggest quality, quantity and frequency of top-down communication have contributed to school leader stress, while horizontal communication and collaboration between school leaders and across school communities helped to support leaders during rapid change. We recommend government and the education sector address communication, collaboration and change, to harness the challenges and opportunities identified by school leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, 2019

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of processes in operation during the ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of processes in operation during the implementation of a reform programme in Kazakhstan culminating in the widespread adoption of Lesson Study (LS). Design/methodology/approach The study is positioned within a critical realist theoretical perspective, drawing on Archer’s social theory to focus on the social world of the school while changes to classroom practice are being made. This is a case study using process tracing methods to analyse how school actions and interactions are used during the change process resulting in widespread implementation of LS. Findings Three key mechanisms for implementing the structural changes are identified; increasing teacher’s pedagogical knowledge, collaborative working structures and active collective inquiry. The capacity to change practice is underpinned by reflection on classroom interactions and in having the necessary skills and available time to analyse the effect on pupils’ learning....

International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, 2017

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework describing teachers’ affective and co... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework describing teachers’ affective and cognitive thought processes, as well as the sensemaking and decision making ongoing within them, during the various stages of the appropriation of an educational innovation. Design/methodology/approach The Rubicon model of action phases, borrowed from psychology, is first used as a lens to understand teachers’ will. The model is subsequently adapted to reconcile it with existing literature on teacher beliefs, teacher sensemaking, and teachers’ resistance. Findings The proposed framework shows that teachers’ appropriation of an educational innovation is multi-layered and multi-dimensional. This contradicts appropriation as simply a procedural implementation of research recommendations, culminating in only success or failure. Originality/value The paper sensitises policymakers, school leaders, and teacher educators to the complexity of the appropriation process. The proposed framework serves...

Focused clearly on the needs of the new classroom researcher, this book is a thorough and thought... more Focused clearly on the needs of the new classroom researcher, this book is a thorough and thoughtful guide to the research process. The book helps new teachers beginning to use research literature to ask questions about published work, by considering the standpoint ...

Improving Schools, 2021

Teaching is understood to be a highly stressful profession. In England, workload, high-stakes acc... more Teaching is understood to be a highly stressful profession. In England, workload, high-stakes accountability policies and pupil behaviour are often cited as stressors that contribute to teachers’ decisions to leave posts in the state-funded sector. Many of these teachers leave state teaching to take jobs in private schools, but very little is known about the nature of teachers’ work in the private sector. This research addresses this gap in knowledge and compares the sources of stress experienced by 20 teachers in the state sector to those of 20 teachers in the private sector. The paper is based on qualitative data from a larger study. It analyses data collected in interviews and focus groups with classroom teachers and middle leaders working in mainstream primary and secondary phase education in England. The results emphasise state school teachers’ acute distress in relation to workloads driven by accountability cultures. In comparison, private school teachers report less intense e...

The most important factor influencing childrens' learning of school subjects is having really... more The most important factor influencing childrens' learning of school subjects is having really good teachers in every classroom. The second most important factor is school leadership and instructional leadership is the critical component of being a school Director. The work of instructional leaders is to ensure that every day in every classroom, every student has a highly challenging, positive and successful learning experience. To achieve this requires instructional leaders who believe it is their responsibility to lead the improvement of teaching and the improvement of all childrens' learning (Coldren & Spillane, 2007).

Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 2010

This paper reports outcomes of a project in which five teachers developed a web‐based user guide ... more This paper reports outcomes of a project in which five teachers developed a web‐based user guide to integrating new technologies in secondary science teaching. The guide aimed to support the initial education of trainee teachers, and the professional development of ...

Social Psychology of Education, 2008

Teachers often approach teaching with an energy and enthusiasm to inspire their students with the... more Teachers often approach teaching with an energy and enthusiasm to inspire their students with their skills and knowledge. However, when faced with students who are not fully engaged in their learning, teachers sometimes find it difficult and frustrating to communicate the subject knowledge. This paper looks at the importance of teachers reflecting regularly on their teaching with thoughts not just about the communication of subject knowledge, but combining this with the emotions and affective experiences of themselves and their students. We interviewed 11 new secondary science teachers about their first 3 years of teaching and in particular, questions were directed at their relationships in school, communication with students, the ideal lesson and reflection. Our findings revealed that teachers who were most successful when faced with adversities in the classroom, were those who appreciated that, as well as communicating subject knowledge, there is also a need for affective communication with the student. Many of the teachers we spoke to emphasised the importance of establishing a rapport with their students, and especially when they were disengaged and disinterested in learning. The data highlight the importance of conceptualising teaching and learning as encompassing both affect and cognition in order to have a balanced and healthy view of teaching, learning, the student and the school. Keywords Affect • Cognition • Newly-qualified • Interview • Teaching There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul.

Social Psychology of Education, 2010

Abstract The quest to understand what it means to 'become'a teacher and... more Abstract The quest to understand what it means to 'become'a teacher and the conditions in which such aspirations can be translated into lived experience, continues to exercise teacher educators and researchers alike. Whilst the literature points towards the ...

Improving Schools, 2010

Recent research has highlighted the merits of consulting children in both primary and secondary s... more Recent research has highlighted the merits of consulting children in both primary and secondary schools about their teaching and learning. This article looks at the effectiveness of pupil voice in not only maximizing the potential of pupils and students but also the consequences for helping teachers in turn — and especially newly qualified teachers, who might encounter obstacles during their early months of teaching. Interviews were conducted with 11 secondary school science teachers in their first three years of teaching in order to ascertain the quality of teaching and the degree to which teachers felt that they were successful in communicating the subject matter to their students. The findings showed that consulting young people is one way of responding to the needs of teachers as well as to the pupils themselves and we discuss the potential of pupil voice in harnessing the thoughts and feelings of pupils and ultimately achieving effective teaching and learning.

Educational Action Research, 2004

The development of beginning teachers' practice during a school placement is a multiplic... more The development of beginning teachers' practice during a school placement is a multiplicity of mediated interactions between university-and school-based systems. Both systems have the common aim of training effective teachers. However, day-to-day internal institution ...

Educational Studies, 2009

British Educational Research Journal

The pressures and influences experienced by school leaders as school policymakers, during the fir... more The pressures and influences experienced by school leaders as school policymakers, during the first responses to COVID‐19 pandemic, made their task of interpreting, translating and implementing school guidance both difficult and stressful. During COVID‐19 pandemic, school leaders faced challenges to prioritise and balance ever‐changing government policy advice with the limitations of school buildings, the welfare of students and staff, and the needs of communities, a task made complicated by the methods of communication used by government. By surveying and interviewing headteachers, senior leaders and governors, this article identifies the reactions and responses of school leaders who construct and enact policy in the context of COVID‐19 pandemic. The article addresses the nature of, and factors affecting, pressures school leaders feel in authoring and implementing policy. These pressures are non‐trivial and increase tension in already highly stressful work. The report draws on data collected from a randomised, stratified sample of primary and secondary school leaders from across England in early June 2020, during the time of national lockdown and remote learning. Findings suggest quality, quantity and frequency of top‐down communication contributed to school leader stress, while horizontal communication and collaboration between school leaders and across school communities supported leaders during rapid change. We recommend that government and the Department of Education strengthen and streamline stressful communication systems while building cooperative communities, mitigating against the challenges identified by school leaders during the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of British Educational Research Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

CAMBRIDGE JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, 2020

This qualitative study explores the types of school-level teacher wellbeing initiatives reported ... more This qualitative study explores the types of school-level teacher wellbeing initiatives reported by 51 teachers. The authors argue that the most well-received wellbeing measures are those embedded within supportive whole school cultures which aim to minimise burdensome workloads and maximise feelings of autonomy, relatedness and competence. Analysis shows that the least effective initiatives were those that reacted to a perceived problem, but did not seek to address the cause of perceived poor wellbeing. In some cases, activities such as compulsory cooking or sports sessions infringed upon teachers’ basic needs for autonomy. Such initiatives acted as a barrier to teacher wellbeing when they were seen to respond to a perceived demand for accountability, or contribute to burdensome workloads by placing additional demands on teachers’ time. Overall, teachers favoured school policies and practices which were conducive to promoting meaningful workloads, rather than one-off or limited-dur...

Cambridge Journal of Education

This qualitative study explores the types of school-level teacher wellbeing initiatives reported ... more This qualitative study explores the types of school-level teacher wellbeing initiatives reported by 51 teachers. The authors argue that the most well-received wellbeing measures are those embedded within supportive whole school cultures which aim to minimise burdensome workloads and maximise feelings of autonomy, relatedness and competence. Analysis shows that the least effective initiatives were those that reacted to a perceived problem, but did not seek to address the cause of perceived poor wellbeing. In some cases, activities such as compulsory cooking or sports sessions infringed upon teachers’ basic needs for autonomy. Such initiatives acted as a barrier to teacher wellbeing when they were seen to respond to a perceived demand for accountability, or contribute to burdensome workloads by placing additional demands on teachers’ time. Overall, teachers favoured school policies and practices which were conducive to promoting meaningful workloads, rather than one-off or limited-duration wellbeing activities.

International Journal of Social Research Methodology

Teacher Development, 2016

A cascade model of professional development presents a particular risk that 'knowledge' promoted ... more A cascade model of professional development presents a particular risk that 'knowledge' promoted in a programme will be diluted or distorted as it passes from originators of the programme to local trainers and then to the target teachers (Soloman and Tresman 1999; Kennedy 2005). Careful monitoring of trainers' and teachers' knowledge as it is transferred through the system is therefore imperative. This paper focuses on the transfer of content knowledge through an in-service teacher professional development programme and offers an innovative methodology for investigating knowledge transfer, i.e. through insights gained during a mentoring process. The findings suggest that this methodology facilitated assessment of knowledge transfer because it involved the identification of knowledge in practice. The focus on knowledge in practice appeared to avoid a deficit model of trainers'/ teachers' knowledge and revealed that content knowledge was generally being successfully transferred throughout the system. A detailed analysis of different aspects of content knowledge transfer suggested various foci for additional training.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012