School-based teacher collaboration: Beliefs and experiences in Chile and Portugal

Both Chilean and Portuguese teachers participated in the TALIS 2013 international survey on teaching and teaching practices. A high proportion of Chilean teachers (58.8%) and of Portuguese teachers (71%) reported “never”... [ view full abstract ]

Both Chilean and Portuguese teachers participated in the TALIS 2013 international survey on teaching and teaching practices. A high proportion of Chilean teachers (58.8%) and of Portuguese teachers (71%) reported “never” observing each other’s lessons, a form of teacher collaboration considered to be both a productive as well as demanding professional learning activity.   This presentation is based on a study that explores the conditions and experiences of Portuguese and Chilean teachers in school-based collaboration.   The research includes a set of completed case studies (8 in Chile and 8 in Portugal) carried out in 2016 and 2017.  The studies used a common framework and instruments examining the beliefs and opportunities that teachers declared regarding school-based teacher collaboration as well as their experiences.  Additionally, reference is made to a large survey of teachers, which is part of the Chilean and the Portuguese studies.

The presentation focuses on similarities and differences in teacher beliefs about professional development, teaching and learning and the collective efficacy of their colleagues, perceptions of their school cultures and the efficacy of formal and less formal collaborative activities, linking these to their actual opportunities to take part in them.  It considers comparatively the facilitating and non-facilitating school conditions present in both countries, including working conditions of teachers (student/teacher ratio, class size and the teaching/non-teaching hours ratio).  More closely the presentation refers to conditions in the schools studied that differ more from school to school than from country to country, including school size, rural/urban situation, greater or lesser socio-economic segregation, public/private and school level (primary/secondary).  Issues such as school culture and leadership will be also explored. This presentation may contribute either to the “Enabling Teachers” or “Pedagogies for Sustainable Development” themes.