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IMPLEMENTING INSTRUCTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TO TRANSFORM
CLASSROOM CULTURE
MS. SANA AYAZ1, DR. ABDUL GHAFFAR2, DR. MUHAMMAD IDRIS3 & NIDA AYAZ4
1PhD Scholar Department of Education, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, KP, Pakistan 2Associate Professor, Department of Education, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, KP, Pakistan 3Associate Professor, Department of Education, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, KP, Pakistan 4PhD Scholar Department of Education, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, KP, Pakistan
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to restructure classroom culture through implication of instructional intelligence and to discuss the beliefs about teaching and learning held by me as well as trainers / teachers. Auto Ethnographic Methodology was adopted for investigating this issue. Critical reflection and interpretation were used for discussing my previous teaching and learning experiences and interviews of three trainers/teachers were also used for this purpose. This paper describes the implication of instructional intelligence as a tool for transforming classroom culture for elaborating conceptual understanding of the process of teaching learning process, as a means of transforming teachers teaching performance.
Keywords: Instructional intelligence, Transformative learning, teaching Domains, Auto ethnography
INTRODUCTION
In undergraduate BS Education programs (M.ed, B.Ed) students learned about innovative teaching approaches such as brainstorming, lesson plan steps, classroom management, cognitive skills, and childhood development skills with the aim of improving their professional training when they enter the educational field as a teacher. As a trainer and researcher, I reflected critically on my teaching experience and came to realize that many of us are not practicing what we learned in our pre-service education. It seems that we practice only the conventional (teacher-centered) approach to teaching and learning in our classrooms. To investigate this issue I designed an auto/ethnographic methodology with which to engage in critical reflexivity on my own professional practice and to interview three pre-service colleagues who are now teachers and trainers.
METHODOLOGY
Auto Ethnographic inquiry is a methodological example of transformative educational research. It is a methodology produced by drawing on three major paradigms: interpretivism (how the world is), criticism (how the world should be), and postmodernism (how the world could be) (Taylor et al., 2012). Critical auto/ethnography provided me with an approach to immerse myself deeply in the moments of my academic and personal life, to understand them closely and critically. It made my life and experiences in school the focus of my research (Reed-Danahay, 1997). So, I was able to make my own experiences as a teacher and trainer a "topic of investigation in its own right" (Ellis & Bochner, 2000). My aim was to understand and portray those lived experiences which demonstrate subjectivity and personal accountability which I employ as 'direct testimony' to justify my own inquiry (Ellis & Bochner, 2000). However, the situation of teaching and learning needs to be examined and studied through the eyes of participants as well (Cohen et al., 2000). So, I also conducted semi-structured interviews with participants. TEACHING THAT I "TEACH BY"
It could be any day during the Practicum. I enter the class fifth and started instructions about English Subjects. "Our lesson today is going to be about ...", I say. It could be any topic from the curriculum. I open my textbook after asking every student to do so. I started the reading and students followed me. I read the whole lesson and students read aloud after me. After finishing the lesson I read the questions from the exercise and wrote the answers on the blackboard. I explain the answers and instruct the students to copy the answers. I pick out an example from the textbook. I write the answer
to the example after explaining how to use the rule in answering the example. I ask students to copy the answer in their textbooks. I write the second example from the textbook on the blackboard. I asked again students if anyone has a question or has not understood yet. At the end of the lesson, I give the students the rest of the examples from the textbook as homework. The next day, I start my teaching by answering the homework examples. So, students have to copy the correct answer if their answers are wrong.
The above paragraph portrays my teaching that I 'teach by'. It describes how I used to teach. It illustrates my commonplace teaching culture. How I teach seems to be was the teachers of my research participants teach. During my Ph.D. research in July 2020, I discussed about my PhD topic with my participants. Individually, I had conversations with them about their perspectives of teaching and learning, and I asked them to describe their usual role in the classroom as a teacher. During my conversation, I asked: how do you teach? In the beginning, I give [students] a "lesson", then I ask someone to read it loudly, then I explain the lesson and answer the examples (Nida, interview, 5/2/2020).
Well, I start by reminding [students] about the previous lesson, then I begin to explain, in the normal way, and answer the examples, then I give them examples to answer in the classroom, then I give them homework (Javed, interview, 5/2/2020).
The same answers were given by my other colleagues that we have only followed our traditional ways and we feel comfortable with them because we can not handle students without sticks. Although we all learned about instructional intelligence and innovative ways in our four years program with the aim to use it in our professional practices it seems that we only follow the conventional approach which is teacher-centered. My participants and I described my teaching method by saying I write, give, and explain. There is mention of letting students say or do something. It seems pretty clear that we fail to practice what we have learned. It shows that our classroom's control is still typical. THOUGHTS OF MINE
During my teaching experiences, I have never thought about my role as a teacher and student. I never pay attention to my students and classroom cultures and the theories and tactics about students and classrooms I have learned. Students listen to me copy my points and memorize them. I never prepare the lesson according to the student's needs, pedagogy, assessment skills, the outcome of my lesson, classroom culture, behavior and respect, instructions, communication with my students, and in lastly my professional grooming. I ask questions myself Will I allow my students to ask questions, will I follow the activities, Will I take care of Professional Responsibility? I have never thought to change myself.
UNDERSTANDING MY TEACHING
During my research I have found that I need a tool that represents my experiences and reflects my teaching So I found Instructional Intelligence which is the combination of all the terms I have learned and to make it visible in my teaching training experiences. I use instructional intelligence to portray myself. Due to instructional intelligence, I am able to transform myself and my classroom culture. I used to plan my activities according to the needs of the students. I prepare my lesson for all of the students I made their different groups according to their levels. I did mind map activities which start from simple to complex. I Design Resources for my listen. Before starting my listening I did think pair and share activity. First, the students introduce themselves to each other which builds a healthy classroom. For assessment, I used different techniques it is not necessary who raise their hands will know the answers they can start acting too to answer the questions through facial expressions. I maintain my record on a daily basis. I discussed classroom issues with my colleagues to take their input. I arranged regular meetings with communities to maintain myself and to update them So this is the instructional Intelligence. SUCCESS STORY
Dont Wait for Opportunity, Create it.
I am nida ayaz a government's teacher at primary level. The first day at primary level entry was amazing as well as hilarious. I was not welcome to start teaching through new metacognitive strategies because teachers were not aware of the use and benefits of these innovative strategies. I
was student of PhD and my PhD research was action research, using these strategies in real classrooms to enhance students learning. All the teachers were following traditional way of teaching and they were not flexible to accept innovative strategies have positively guide them and focused on my own teaching in presence of these obstacles. I have discussed with sana ayaz these all issuse and she guide me that how can these instructional intelligence help me to successfully apply these innovative strategies in classrooms' have diagnose different hindrances which prevent the students from comprehending the text .moreover the classrooms environment was made conducive for learning and students interest was developed through instructional intelligence and metacognitive strategies.to obseve these all positive changes in the performance of students other teachers also start coping me which satisfied me .subdivitional education officer give me give me opportunity to give test for master trainer of district mardan and i have been selected .now I am master trainer of continuous professional development and I am training all the trainers twice in year as well as teachers of my district once in every month. So its first step toward positive transformation from traditional way of teaching to modernized methodologies and teachings.
REFLECTION
Thanks to instructional intelligence to transform my classroom culture by examining myself my experiences. Instructional intelligence plays a vital role to change my mind so I wish teachers will engage themselves in self-analyzing, I wish I could join discussions with my teachers like Dr. Abdul Ghaffar, Dr. Amir Zaman and Peter sir who is the founder of transformative Education who motivated me in my academic life. I lost hope but my teachers awaken me to tell the story of such people who inspired me.I wish teachers will evolve themselves in high-order thinking. Teachers must take instructional intelligence as a tool to transform their learning and teaching for fruitful learning outcomes.
DISCUSSION
This study discussed about an important issue of teachers. Teachers learned innovative ways but they only follow traditional ways. This research tells us about the impact of personal experiences and implementation of instructional intelligence to transformed classroom culture. It's very important for teachers to reflect their on selves then find the ways to implicate. Our results showed that instructional intelligence plays a vital role in transforming classroom culture. As teachers knows that we have diverse needs of students and we will treat them according to their needs. When teachers started to share their experiences and to connect it with culture context to do an auto ethnography .Classroom culture transformed. Other research groups reported same auto ethnographic inquiry for such issues and emphasized the implantation of instructional intelligence.
CONCLUSION
To sum up, Teachers need to apply instructional intelligence in their classrooms to generate new ways of teaching-learning and bring professional and systematic change. It provides support to teachers to enhance their classroom culture. It helps in developing conducive learning environment in schools. Moreover students interest could be easily develop through instructional intelligence which help and motivate individuals in achieving their learning outcomes.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The teachers must aware of the instructional intelligence and teaching framework and be able to apply it to enhance students' performance.
Teachers can transform by using instructional intelligence and classroom culture. The first is to plan the activities according to the needs of the students. Different innovative strategies can be used for students to learn in a good way.
Teachers must follow the student centered approaches to make the classroom environment conducive for all students.
Auto Ethnographic research is a best way to analyze and share experiences to understand the issues in a deeper context.
Further researches on auto ethnography and transformative learning are advised to follow specially Peter Charles Taylor books and research articles.
REFERENCES
[1] Casakin, H. (2011). Metaphorical reasoning and design expertise: A perspective for design education. Journal of Learning Design, 4(2), 29-38.
[2] Ellis, C., & Bochner, A. P. (2000). Autoethnography, personal narrative, reflexivity: Researcher as subject. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed., pp. 733-768). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
[3] Taylor, P. C., Taylor, E., & Luitel, B. C. (2012). Multi-Paradigmatic transformative research as/for teacher education: An integral perspective. In B. J. Fraser, K. G. Tobin & C. J. McRobbie (Eds.), Second international handbook of science education (pp. 373-387). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
[4] Reed-Danahay, D. (1997). Introduction. In D. Reed-Danahay (Ed.), Auto/ethnography: Rewriting the self and the social (pp. 1-17). Oxford: Berg Publishers.
