Hvað hindrar kennara í að styðja sjálfræði nemenda í skólastarfi?

Abstract

Viðfangsefni þessarar greinar er að varpa ljósi á sjónarhorn kennara og sýn þeirra á það hvaða þættir í eigin starfi og starfsumhverfi hindri stuðning við sjálfræði nemenda og er sjónum beint að kennurum á mið- og unglingastigi. Stuðningur við sjálfræði nemenda er mikilvægur þáttur velfarnaðar samkvæmt sjálfsákvörðunarkenningum sem mynda fræðilegan grunn rannsóknarinnar. Í Aðalnámskrá grunnskóla (2011) sem leggur grunn að skólastarfi hérlendis er einnig lögð mikil áhersla á að styðja eigi sjálfræði nemenda og lýðræði í skólastarfi. Rannsóknir á íslensku skólastarfi hafa jafnframt sýnt mikinn mun á milli skólanna í því hvernig sjálfræði er stutt og að víðast hvar er ekki mikill stuðningur við sjálfræði nemenda. Því er mikilvægt að efla skilning á því hvaða þættir geti komið í veg fyrir að aðstæður til að styðja sjálfræði nemenda séu skapaðar í skólastarfi. Byggt er á gögnum sem safnað var í tengslum við stærri rannsókn á starfsháttum í 20 grunnskólum. Fyrir þessa grein voru greind 27 viðtöl við kennara í þessum 20 skólum; 15 einstaklingsviðtöl á miðstigi og 12 rýnihópaviðtöl á unglingastigi. Varpað er ljósi á ýmsa ytri þætti sem kennarar telja að hindri þá í því að styðja sjálfræði nemenda; svo sem kerfislegar kröfur, takmarkaðar bjargir og ósveigjanlegt skipulag. Innri hindranir, eða hugmyndalegar hindranir, vógu þó þyngra og voru þær greindar eftir hugmyndum Bernsteins um uppeldislega orðræðu. Greining kennsluorðræðunnar sýndi að við þurfum að efla nýja þekkingu með kennurum um formgerð sem skapar aðstæður til að efla sjálfræði nemenda. Stýringarorð- ræðan um fræðslu sem meginmarkmið náms heldur aftur af breytingum og hindrar stuðning við sjálfræði. Fræðilegt framlag rannsóknarinnar er það að sjónum er beint að hugtakinu sjálfræði í skólastarfi og skilningur aukinn á því hvað hindri kennara í að ýta undir sjálfræði nemenda sinna. Hið fræðilega framlag þessarar rannsóknar er um leið hagnýtt því að það ætti að gagnast starfandi kennurum og skólastjórnendum og ekki síst aðilum sem standa að kennaramenntun.

The objective of this study is to throw light on those aspects of school operations that limit or impede teachers in supporting student autonomy. The focus is directed at middle and upper grade teachers’ perspectives in Icelandic compulsory schools. In this study, the concept ‘student autonomy’ denotes that students’ behaviour conforms to their own conviction. For that to happen they need to be able to make decisions about their own education and school-work and be given scope to do so. ‘Autonomy support‘ refers to conditions that are created and measures taken in the school (structure, atmosphere, space) for the purpose of facilitating the students’ autonomy. The main research question is: What are teachers’ views as to which aspects of school practices support autonomy and which limit or impede it? The research used data from a large scale research project exploring school and classroom practices in 20 Icelandic compulsory schools, carried out 2009-2014. Three schools were purposively selected as schools emphasizing differentiated learning, a policy that has been favoured by Icelandic educational authorities for some time; other schools were randomly selected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 teachers in grades 5-10 in those 20 schools; 15 individual interviews with teachers in grades 5-7 and 12 focus groups interviews with teachers in grades 8-10. The theoretical framework derives from self-determination theories, according to which autonomy is the basis for intrinsic motivation and self-regulated learning and therefore a vital part of students’ well-being. Research shows that manifestations of autonomy support vary greatly between Icelandic compulsory schools. In a few schools student autonomy is very well supported but generally emphasis on autonomy support is minimal and often incompatible with stipulations of the National Curriculum Guide (Aðalnámskrá grunnskóla, 2011), laws on compulsory schools and international conventions. Therefore, it is important to gain a better understanding of the factors that stand in the way of teachers’ attempts to empower their students as regards their autonomy. The findings shed light on a number of external factors that teachers think prevent them from providing their students with proper autonomy support such as systemic requirements (e.g., strict curriculum and standardized testing), limited resources (e.g., limited accommodation, limited access to internet and limited teaching materials) and inflexible structures (e.g., hectic schedule with too many students per teacher) which make it well-nigh impossible to meet students’ individual needs. However, internal limitations or ideologies standing in the way of learning and school practices played a larger role and were analysed in light of Bernstein’s theories of pedagogic discourse. The analysis of instructional discourse shows that we need to bolster new knowledge among teachers of the structures that can create appropriate conditions for enabling and strengthening student autonomy. It was a common view among the teachers that increased autonomy would lead to chaos, hence they were resistant to relinquishing control and changing school-practices. The regulative discourse shows that increasing students’ influence in school and supporting their autonomy is a rather unfamiliar notion and not something they were aiming for. Moreover, the regulative discourse which views dissemination of knowledge as the main aim of education can stand in the way of change and obstruct autonomy support. The theoretical contribution of the study is the particular attention directed towards the concept of autonomy in school-work and increased knowledge of the factors that hinder teachers in attempts to enhance their students’ sense of autonomy. At the same time, the theoretical contribution of the study is practical in that the findings will prove useful for practising teachers and school managers and not the least those engaged in teacher education.