Construction of a changed learning approach
Submitted by:
Katrin Aava
Abstract:
According to the Estonian Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020 of the Ministry of Education and Research, a changed learning approach is an approach supporting the individual and social development, learning skills, creativity and enterprisingness of a learner. The aim of the study is to describe which discourses are associated with the changed learning approach and whether they coincide with the indicators created in the official discourse. Also, the aim is to determine, based on language use, how the education stakeholders themselves relate to the education innovation (Fullan, 2006).
The study based on the theoretical background that the physical world constructed with the help of language acquires a meaning through discourse (Jorgenson & Phillips, 2002) Five focus groups were studied as education stakeholders: teacher training faculty researchers, officials from education support bodies, education officials from local governments, school headmasters and teachers. The data collected from the interviews with focus groups were analysed by using the critical discourse analysis method (Fairclough, 2001).
As the result, it appeared that the changed learning approach is connected with discourses formulated in educational documents and professional literature (discourse of the changed teacher-student relationship, changed learning environment discourse etc.), however, the descriptions of the stakeholders often do not refer to these changes. Almost all stakeholders formulated the need for cooperation but did not so much list the other stakeholders as a contributing factor. Therefore, it appeared that stakeholders saw other stakeholders more as preventive factors. The results of the study indicated that there are several contradictions between the descriptions of changed learning approach and an opposition is created where the participants handle the meanings of changed learning approach in the context of their own work. The new meanings of the changed learning approach are discussed but not used in practice.
Keywords: text linguistics, critical discourse analysis, changed learning approach,
stakeholder, social innovation
References
Estonian Lifleong Learning Strategy 2020. 2014. https://www.hm.ee/sites/default/files/strateegia2020.pdf
Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and Power. (2.ed.). NY: Longman.
Fullan, M.. (2006). The New Meaning of Educational Change. (4th ed). New York: Teachers College Press.
Jorgensen, M., & Phillips, L. (2002). Discourse analysis as theory and method. London: Thousand Oaks.