The Impact of Collaborative Professional Learning and Development on Year 12 Physics Teachers and Students

Teacher knowledge and skills are regarded as crucial factors in creating high-quality teaching and learning experiences and are associated with increased student participation, improved student outcomes, and higher student retention in physics. Yet there are few mechanisms in Aotearoa, New Zealand that support physics teachers in acquiring or maintaining this knowledge and skill base, and what is available can be prohibitively expensive, particularly for those in regional and rural areas. There also appears to be a growing need for physics-specific professional development opportunities, given the low supply of new physics teaching graduates, which has resulted in an increasing number of teachers transitioning to teaching physics from other subjects. Often these teachers do not have the sufficient level of physics-specific knowledge necessary for effective teaching. This study investigated how a cost-effective, physics-specific collaborative professional learning and development (PLD) strategy affected teachers’ knowledge, practice, and self-efficacy, as well as how they adapted their practice in the classroom, and how those adaptations may have impacted students’ learning experiences. This study employed a three-phase mixed methods multi-case design, involving six NCEA Level 2 Physics teachers from five schools and 54 students from two teachers in one school. Data were collected through pre- and post-PLD diagnostic knowledge tests (5 and 3 respectively), a modified self-efficacy test (5), 11 teacher and 198 student questionnaires, 16 one-on-one teacher and 9 student focus group interviews, 10 lesson observations, and materials collected during the workshops. The study revealed that the collaborative PLD approach provided opportunities to discuss and develop content and pedagogical knowledge through dialogic interaction. Increases in teachers’ self-efficacy were identified as they planned and implemented changes following the workshop. The effectiveness of the workshop in increasing knowledge and implementing changes to practice to support improved student outcomes, however, appeared to be limited by teachers’ prior knowledge and experience and lack of ongoing support. Results from the PLD and classroom observations highlighted the need for varied physics teaching-specific PLD offerings. These should include immediate support to encourage accurate teaching, development opportunities targeting content, practical, and pedagogical knowledge, and ongoing support. In response to these findings, an approach for a nuanced approach to physics teacher PLD is suggested. With the growing number of out-of-field teachers in New Zealand, results support the recognition of the out-of-field teaching phenomenon in New Zealand. This study highlighted the added difficulties an out-of-field teacher faced to upskill and implement changes to their practice due to limited content knowledge. Practice changes appeared to positively benefit students’ learning and teachers and students generally agreed on what changes would enhance learning and achievement opportunities in physics. The results indicate some negative impacts of the PLD due to the two out-of-field teachers’ limited content knowledge. Furthermore, the implemented changes from both out-of-field teachers could have been better executed if teachers had been given additional time and resources or had reduced responsibilities, in order to facilitate more comprehensive changes. Defining what out-of-field teaching means in a New Zealand context could allow specific support systems to be created for out-of-field teachers and specific policy to be created to ensure better support for out-of-field teachers. These changes would help identify staffing shortages in more detail, allow for targeted recruitment approaches, which in turn, may lead to better outcomes for students pursuing and continuing their study of physics. In light of the results and international literature, this study contributes to further understanding of how collaborative CoRe-design PLD can be utilised, and presents a novel methodological approach used to explore teacher and student outcomes during PLD. The study also proposes a reconsideration of additional components of teacher knowledge, how models of teacher knowledge may be extended to include cultural competencies and Indigenous knowledge. This study contributes to the limited body of knowledge regarding physics teaching and physics teaching-specific PLD in New Zealand, with new insights which could assist policymakers, schools, departments, and teachers in exploring improved methods for subject-specific PLD. Furthermore, it contributes to a broader discussion on examining out-of-field phenomena in New Zealand and their potential impacts on student learning and retention, timely given the current emphasis on STEM subjects in many contexts.