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| Research
Article: The Artistic and Professional Development of
Teachers
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The study discussed is dedicated to the problem of the artistic
and professional development of teachers. Since the beginning
of the study the author attempts to define the main objective
of the study stating that the main objective is to understand
the effectiveness of professional development programs of
teachers from teachers’ point of view. However, it is
worthy of mention that the purpose, being clearly stated,
seems to be a bit abstract, at least such a definition implies
basically qualitative analysis and research that actually
contradicts to the quantitative analysis that was amply used
further in the study.
Obviously, the problem researched by Narry Oreck is very important,
especially in the current situation, when the role of arts
is often underestimated and their potential is not fully used
by teachers either for their professional development or in
their professional work in educative purposes. This particular
study will be quite useful not only from theoretical point
of view but also from practical one since the author provides
several specific recommendations for teachers’ professional
development.
As for the introduction, basically, it is well organized and
structure. The author attempts to trace the background of
the problem discussed in the research and underlines its significance.
At the same time, Barry Oreck refers to previous researchers
and states the basic goal of the current study.
However, it is worthy of mention that the literature review
contains information that is not very up-to0date. To put it
more precisely, the author uses literature sources which are
quite distanced in time from the present days. As a result,
along with relatively recent researches dating back to late
1990s, for instance, Wiggins 1998, the author also refers
to the studies which date backs two or ore decades ago. Remarkably,
he even refers to the experience of Dewey (1934) that may
be quite relevant today but still the use of more recent researches
would make the importance of the current research and its
actuality more significant.
Nonetheless, it is important to underline that the author
amply refers to the primary sources rather than to other articles
that indicates to the fact that Barry Oreck really attempts
to conduct a study independent from other contemporary researches
and the lack of more recent references indirectly supports
this presupposition. At the same time, such a focus on primary
sources makes it possible to speak about the intention of
the author to support his research with evidences related
to the primary sources and not just use other articles that
would make research less authentic, original and unique.
On making a review, the author does not seem to tend to a
profound critical analysis of the literature discussed. Instead,
he rather attempts to demonstrate that the problem the study
is focused on is really important and the review mainly represents
the summary of the main achievements and findings in this
filed till the moment when Barry Oreck has launched his own
study. Anyway, even according to the author, he is more concerned
not on the assessment but rather on the understanding of the
problem he researches in his study.
In general, the review is well organized since the author
attempts to chronologically trace the evolution of the problem
of the research, notably the use of art in the professional
development of teachers, though as for the latest data they
are obviously omitted intentionally since the author provides
his own research of this problem using the latest collected
data.
In fact, the author attempts to use the previously conducted
researches on the problem as the basis for his present research.
At the same time, he uses the previous research in order to
represent the problem of the artistic and professional development
of teacher as a continuous process so that the current research
turns to be a logical continuation of the past experience
and is supposed to modify the existing views on the problem
and adapt them to the modern conditions.
Obviously, one of the main purposes of the literature review
within the discussed research is to underline the importance
of the problem and its relevance at the present days. It should
be pointed out that the author, on reviewing different works
of different epochs, emphasizes that this problem was important
in the past and its significance is maintained till the present
epoch.
Basically, the problem is clearly stated and precisely defined
since the author targets at the gathering data and information
concerning teachers’ attitude and practices of art use
in their professional development and work. However, the author
also makes an assumption that with the help of this research
it will be possible to strengthen the link between the professional
development of teachers and the use of arts in their practices.
In fact, such a hypothesis is relevant to the literature review
since the author repeatedly underline that arts were constantly
used in the professional development of teachers though he
underlines that its significance may be weaken in recent years
and this is actually why he conducts the study that can help
better understand the importance and significance of arts
in the professional development of modern teachers.
The problem discussed by the author, being very important,
mainly communicates the variable sand types of research. However,
it is worthy of mention that such a variable as ethnicity,
for instance, was not included in the research as the author
believed that this variable would make the prediction unstable
because the subjects basically represented white ethnic group.
As for the types of the research, the current study represents
a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis, though
judging from the goals set by Barry Oreck it was possible
to presuppose that qualitative analysis would be prior to
quantitative, but in actuality, the research is characterized
by the contrary trend.
Nevertheless, the problem raised by the author at the beginning
of his study remains unchangeable and he does not reformulate
it, insisting that his study is focused on the factors that
contribute to the art use and make them essential and in such
a way, the researcher attempts to understand what the role
of arts in professional development of teachers is from the
point of view of teachers.
As for the population, it should be said that the researcher
carefully describes it and, what is more, he tends to take
into consideration various factors that may influence the
results of the research under the impact of population. This
is why he depicts the population in details paying attention
to different factors such as professional experience, gender,
ethnicity, etc.
The same may be said about sampling of subjects, participants
and the general information. However, it is worthy of mention
that the response rate was quite low and this is why it is
possible to speak about certain under-representation of the
respondents.
Speaking about the method of selecting of sample is relatively
clear and, apparently, the author tends to research the problem
at large since he attempts to collect data from teachers working
at the same grade level representing different schools, including
urban, suburban and rural. However, it is necessary to underline
that it is not very clear, for instance, what is the share
of each group of teachers in the general amount of teachers
involved in the research. In other words, it is not clear
whether the representation was proportion or probably urban,
suburban or rural teachers were dominating, or unequally represented.
Similarly, some ethnic groups are also under-represented,
as it has been already mentioned above.
Naturally, such method of selection as well as any other would
inevitably affect the results of the research. In fact, regardless
the fact that some points of selecting samples remain unclear,
the method of selection used makes it possible to influence
the results of the research. For instance, ethnic under-representation
is not practically taken into consideration, while it may
be an important factor influencing the result of the research
at large. The same may be said about whether urban, suburban
and rural school teachers were proportionally represented.
It is also worthy of mention that a part of the subjects of
the research seem to be likely to give biased responses since,
along with public schools classroom teachers there were also
involved specialists working in gifted, arts, and special
education. Obviously the latter category, i.e. specialists
working in gifted, arts, and special education would be more
likely to give biased responses since they are more concerned
on the use of arts in their professional development and practice,
while for public school teachers this may be a sort of problem
they did not get used to work on.
Basically, the evidence for validity and reliability of the
research are amply presented, but it should be said that some
variables are not adequately represented, in this respect,
it is worthy of mention the variable of ethnicity which is
treated by the researcher as unpredictable, or else the low
overall response rate makes it possible to presuppose that
the respondents were not representative.
Furthermore, the author clearly depicts the instrument he
used I his research and how it was used. To put it more precisely,
he clearly presents what sort of data and the ways of their
collection along with the providing information concerning
how the validity of the research was tested.
As a result, it is possible to estimate that the author has
managed to clearly describe the procedures for collecting
information providing opportunity to trace how information
concerning each of the three questions posed was collected.
At the same time, it should be said that the validity and
reliability of the responses and data collected, being not
perfect, seems to be quite sufficient to estimate that the
responses were not fake. At any rate, the low response rate
indicates to the fact that the respondents, even though they
were probably not representative, gave sincere responses.
Otherwise, if the rate of response was extremely high, the
probability of fake responses would more likely to increase
since it would be possible to presuppose that the responses
were less sincere.
The interviewers and observers were carefully selected and
trained in order to increase the reliability of the research
and data collected.
Speaking about the norms used to report results, it should
be said that the results were presented into stages. The first
stage consisted of 23 attitude items while the second consisted
of 8 frequency-of-use items.
In general, the study may be viewed as quite good and the
weaknesses of the current study are very few. In this respect,
it is worthy of mention that among the most evident weaknesses
of the study may be named the fact that there is quite a high
risk that the respondents of the study were under-represented
and, thus, there may appear certain doubts in the objectivity,
validity and reliability of the results. At the same time,
it is necessary to remember that there are also certain problems
with ethnic variable as well as the representation of teachers
from urban, suburban and rural schools is also not very clearly
presented in the research that also may affect the results
of the study.
At the same time, it should be pointed out that the procedures
for collecting information are presented in details though
it would be probably better if the information concerning
the interviewers and observers would be presented more widely
so that it would be possible to fully assess their actual
level and not just rely on empirical data and statements of
the researcher.
Speaking about the researcher himself, in actuality, it is
possible to argue about the extent to which he could be objective
in his research since he directed arts in education programs
in more than 150 New York City public schools. This is why
it is possible to presuppose that he may be biased in his
research. Being closely related to the use of arts in education,
Barry Oreck would, in all probability, be convinced beforehand
in the necessity of wide implementation of arts in the professional
development of teachers.
The current study looks like predominantly quantitative, while,
in order to make it more qualitative, it is possible to recommend
using the literature dedicated to the problem discussed which
refers not only to the past experience but also to the present
situation. At the same time, the wider use of secondary sources
could be quite effective, while the use of numerous statistical
data and tables would be unnecessary in the qualitative analysis.
In fact, the professional judgment is very important and inevitably
affects the contribution of the study. At the same time, it
is necessary to make possibly more objective assessment of
the study that means that it is necessary to distance from
purely professional view on the study and analyze in a socio-cultural
context.
As for the literature, it is possible to recommend using more
recent researches and studies in order to make it possible
to compare the current study and its results to other contemporary
ones.
In actuality, the first question seems to imply quite a biased
response since it actually focuses teachers’ attention
on the necessity and importance of using arts.
Basically, the sampling could limit the study since it does
not involve absolutely all categories of potential respondents
and, what is more, even those involved in the research are
not always adequately represented.
Instead, the wider sampling, including the involvement of
larger number of teachers, for instance, with different ethnic
background, or teacher who are not related directly to arts
education could increase the rate of survey return since they
would be more interested in the problem that may be new for
them.
The pure calculating of means would not provide the adequate
understanding of the necessity of the use of arts in professional
development of teachers but rather represented the extent
to which arts were widely used.
Basically, recommendations given by the author match the data
but, it seems as if they are too focused on the necessity
to use arts and seems to be unarguable from the author’s
point of view.
The second question should be more focused on the personal
experience and motivation of teachers to use arts without
direct reference to purely statistical data concerning the
frequency of the use of arts.
Basically, the qualitative findings indicate to the necessity
and actual effectiveness of the wide use of arts, while quantitative
finding reveal the respondents are under-represented.
At the same time, the more effective use of quantitative data
could increase the credibility of qualitative ones, if the
overall response rate was high, for instance.
In the case of enlargement of qualitative component, it would
be possible to get more opinionated information supported
not by quantitative findings but reflection and qualitative
arguments.
Bibliography:
1. Oreck, Barry. (2004). THE ARTISTIC AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
OF TEACHERS A STUDY OF TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD AND
USE OF THE ARTS IN TEACHING. Retrieved April 20 from http://www.sagepub.com/eis/Oreck.pdf
2. Oreck, B. (2001). Teaching with the arts survey. Unpublished
survey instrument. University of Connecticut at Storrs.
3. Oreck, B. (2000). The arts in teaching: An investigation
of factors influencing teachers’ use of the arts in
the classroom. Doctoral dissertation, University of Connecticut,
Storrs.
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