Disciplinary specificity in university teaching

1
Disciplinary specificity in university teaching 
Moving from conceptualisation to action

• Denis Berthiaume Université de Lausanne
• Anna JonesUniversity of Melbourne
• Visiting Fellow, University of Gloucestershire
• Kerri-Lee Krause Griffith University
• Mick Healey University of Gloucestershire
• Kristine Mason OConnor University of
  Gloucestershire

2
The problem

• Teaching has often been assumed to be generic
  (unlike research)
• Yet disciplinary cultures are important (Henkel
  2000, 2005 Becher Trowler 2001)
• Ignoring context has a number of problems
• Separates teaching from scholarship, research
  practices
• Denies local knowledge

3
Method

• In-depth interviews with academic staff
• 2 large research-intensive Australian
  universities
• 5 disciplines (history, physics, economics, law,
  medicine)
• 37 interviews
• Additional use of subject outlines, assessment
  tasks, university and department lists of
  attributes
• Emergent analysis

4
Epistemology

• The ways in which knowledge is understood has the
  potential to influence the ways it is taught
• Macro level fundamental assumptions that cross
  disciplinary boundaries eg positivism,
  constructivism
• Meso level disciplinary epistemology
• Micro level personal
• These levels are not discrete and can be
  intertwined and contradictory

5
Disciplinary epistemology

• Highly complex
• Central to disciplinary culture but not static
• Within each discipline or even each individual
  there can be a range of epistemologies
• Dynamic, fluid, not monolithic
• BUT importance also of departmental,
  institutional culture

6
History

• Importance of people, empathy, difference human
  nature, human motivation
• What are the reasons behind actions? What could
  people have known, what are their fears, their
  fantasies?
• What (if anything) can the past tell us about our
  own time?
• Constructed nature of knowledge,multiple,
  contested, contextualised, the role of the
  historian
• Importance of argumentation, writerliness
• Thinking critically

7
Physics

• The power of the physics worldview in shaping the
  modern understanding of reality
• Complex, counter intuitive
• Technical, mathematical skills
• Vast body of knowledge
• Problem solving, experimental technique and
  reasoning

8
Economics

• Range from the highly mathematical, applied to
  more qualitative
• Some see it as a science (analogous to either
  physics or biology)
• Learn the toolbox
• Problem solving

9
Law

• Human element, argumentation, use of language,
  examination of the world, the flexibility as a
  discipline
• Impact of the law on the community, tool for
  change, philosophical questions, notions of
  justice
• Professional responsibilities
• Ethical responsibilities
• Problem solving, understanding the grammar of
  law

10
Medicine

• Epistemology has four strands - scientific,
  psychosocial, moral and professional.
• Science and art
• Clinical reasoning
• Communication
• Thinking critically about evidence, context,
  professional and ethical responsibilities

11
Critical thinking
History Discussing complexities and ambiguities Awareness of political and ideological dimensions Questioning of received wisdom Examining evidence and context
Physics Examining rigour, accuracy, uncertainty, predictive powers Examining assumptions Discussions of areas of debate, uncertainty, frontiers of knowledge
Economics Same as problem solving use of economic tools
Law Examination of argument, evidence, logic Examination of assumptions Awareness of social context Awareness of ethical issues Questioning of received wisdom
Medicine Clinical reasoning Evidence based medicine Ethical reasoning Psychosocial context Professional reflection Questioning of received wisdom
12
Problem solving
History Causality Management skills time, groups, projects, research
Physics Closed and open-ended problems Hypothesis development and testing Use of mathematics as a tool of analysis Checking of accuracy and rigour
Economics Use of economic tools Application of theory to practical or policy issues
Law Closely related to critical thinking Responding to hypothetical or real world problems Concerned with outcomes and application Some concern with professional skills dealing with clients
Medicine Clinical reasoning Diagnostic and therapeutic skills Communication skills Contextual understanding
13
Communication
History Essays the central form of assessment but skills not always overtly taught Some class discussion, presentations, debates, student conferences
Physics Lab reports, posters, assignments Some presentations
Economics Some written assignments and essays
Law Written essays and assignments Spoken communication is considered important but is not systematically included in teaching of assessment
Medicine Spoken communication central to assessment, clinical skills, part of problem solving Clinical communication is overtly taught Written communication assignments, essays, research reports
14
Summary

• Historians knowledge is contested and
  interpreted with no single replicable outcome.
  Teaching focused on argumentation
• Physics duality between certainty and
  uncertainty. Teaching is focused on mathematical
  and conceptual skills, problem solving
• Economics focus on learning the technical and
  conceptual skills, problem solving
• Law multiple epistemology (axiomatic,
  interpretive) focus on legal problem solving,
  professional issues, argument
• Medicine highly complex multiple epistemology,
  clinical reasoning, professional persona,
  outcomes focused.

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Related factors

• Personal, individual
• Artefacts (eg pre-existing research, conceptual
  tools, teaching materials, physical spaces)
• Communities (both research and teaching)
• Division of labour, hierarchies
• Rules (both tacit and overt)
• (Engeström, 2001)

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The way forward

• Importance of the contextual
• Teaching is not a generic activity, nor a set of
  principles that can be applied regardless of
  practice
• Ways in which teaching operates in disciplinary
  communities of practice (Lave Wenger 1991,
  Wenger 1998). Disciplinary epistemology,
  traditions, research culture, university and
  departmental culture.
• Boundary crossings (Engestrom, Blackler) trading
  zones (Mills Taylor Huber 2005), critical
  interdisciplinarity (Rowland, 2006)

17
Discipline-specific pedagogical knowledgeWhat
is it and how can it be developed?

• Denis Berthiaume
• Centre for Learning and Teaching
• University of Lausanne, Switzerland
• 8 December 2008

18
Outline of the presentation

• Premises of the study
• DPK model (components and dimensions)
• Approaches to foster DPK development

19
Premises

• University teaching seen as a complex cognitive
  activity
• In many countries, university teachers receive
  limited pedagogical training
• Not easy to relate new pedagogical knowledge to
  ones discipline of instruction
• Need to help university teachers develop
  discipline-specific pedagogical knowledge (DPK)
• Need to know more about DPK and its development

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What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
DPK
21
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
DPK
22
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Beliefs
Knowl.
DPK
Goals
23
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Disciplinary specificity
Beliefs
Knowl.
DPK
Goals
24
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Disciplinary specificity
Beliefs
Struct.
Knowl.
DPK
Culture
Goals
25
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Disciplinary specificity
Beliefs
Struct.
Knowl.
DPK
Culture
Goals
Personal epistemology
26
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Disciplinary specificity
Beliefs
Struct.
Knowl.
DPK
Culture
Goals
Knowl. Eval.
Knowl. Constr.
Knowl. Know.
Personal epistemology
27
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Disciplinary specificity
Beliefs
Struct.
Knowl.
DPK
Culture
Goals
Knowl. Constr.
Knowl. Eval.
Knowl. Know.
Personal epistemology
28
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Disciplinary specificity
Beliefs
Struct.
4
3
Knowl.
10
DPK
Culture
Goals
4
5
2
2
2
Knowl. Constr.
Knowl. Eval.
Knowl. Know.
Personal epistemology
29
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Disciplinary specificity
Beliefs
Culture
2
3
Knowl.
6
DPK
Struct.
Goals
1
3
1
1
2
Knowl. Constr.
Knowl. Eval.
Knowl. Know.
Personal epistemology
30
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?
Knowledge base for teaching
Disciplinary specificity
Beliefs
Struct.
2
1
Knowl.
6
DPK
Culture
Goals
3
3
1
1
2
Knowl. Constr.
Knowl. Eval.
Knowl. Know.
Personal epistemology
31
What is discipline-specific pedagogical
knowledge?

• A form of knowledge that is complex, changing,
  drawn from a variety of sources
• Not uniform to all teachers from a given
  discipline because of the role played by ones
  personal epistemology
• Much more based on socio-cultural characteristics
  than epistemological structure
• Common elements to teachers coming from different
  disciplines

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How can DPK be developed?

• Conscious effort on the part of the teacher to
  document the various components of DPK from the
  three sources
• Knowledge base for teaching
• Disciplinary specificity
• Personal epistemology
• Conscious effort on the part of the teacher to
  document the various relationships between
  components of DPK

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How can DPK be developed?

• Various approaches can be used to develop DPK
• Individual approaches - reflective practice
• - literature-based research
• - empirical research
• Collegial approaches - mentoring
• - communities of practice
• - workshops

34
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Individual exercise(5-10 minutes)

• What research findings that were just presented
  do you think you can integrate into your
  practice?
• How do you plan on integrating these findings
  into your practice (what do you see yourself do)?
• How much of that can be done in collaboration
  with colleagues holding similar posts?

36
Group exercise (15-20 minutes)

• Share with your colleagues how you plan on
  integrating findings on disciplinary specificity
  into your practice
• Make sure to spend enough time discussing the
  potential for collaboration in order to integrate
  findings on disciplinary specificity into your
  practice

37
(No Transcript)
38
A few words about methods

• Objectives of the study
• Clarify the empirical nature of
  discipline-specific pedagogical knowledge (DPK)
• Develop a framework for capturing, describing,
  and analyzing DPK

39
A few words about methods
Main research question What is the nature of
university professors discipline-specific
pedagogical knowledge (DPK)?

• Sub-questions
• What are the dimensions/characteristics
  associated with components of the DPK framework?
• What relationships exist between components of
  the DPK framework?

40
A few words about methods

• Inductive analysis / instrumental multicase study
• Four participants from four different disciplines
  (Mathematics, Civil Engineering, Philosophy,
  Social Work)
• Five semi-structured interviews per participant
  (total 20)
• Interviews during planning, implementation and
  reflection related to specific courses
• Focus on both perceptions and actions

41
Focus Questions

• What is the one thing that is most important in
  your discipline? (or the staff you work with)
• What are the attributes you most want graduates
  to have attained?
• How is this best achieved through teaching?

42
Ideas

43
Ideas

44
Ideas (arising from workshop discussion)

• Students changing, generic attributes
• Reflective model based on DPK to be used for
  staff development (develop own and group model),
  ongoing staff development
• Engage new starters contextualise, refreshment
  for people who have been teaching for some time,
  use as starting point

45
Ideas

• How staff help students develop their own
  understanding, disciplinary expectations
• Look at the process for students, link with
  employability
• Students given many mixed messages about
  disciplines
• Impact of the quality processes
• Interdisciplinary inquiry modules, point of
  departure for discussion

46
Ideas

• Use the model in the context of certificates,
  academic development activities
• Role of professionals coming into university
  teaching, building new dimensions into the model
  (other profiles)
• Integrate notion of disciplinary epistemologies
  in the development of a Masters degree, tools
  for the job

47
Ideas

• New ways of thinking in relation to the design of
  degree programmes
• Learners perspective in particular in the
  context of interdisciplinary degrees
• Talking tool to get people to explicit what they
  think of other peoples discipline
• What is a discipline?
• Learner perspective very important
• Tension between the teaching and research roles