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Created with Fabric.js 1.4.5 References Purpose and Rationale Methodology Theoretical background Research questions World Views Futurists have developed a number of new research paradigms (Hideg, 2013) "21st Century Skills": The impact of teachers' character strengths on the ability to enact the Australian Curriculum's General Capabilities in their practice Evolutionary Futures Paragdigm:views the future from a holistic position, recognising that the future is dynamically complex and can reveal possible futures through and by creating new knowledge (practical) Critical Futures Paradigm:sees the future as an integral part of people's lives, existing in the present, constructed through faith, belief, thought and emotion (theoretical) Education systems worldwide are responding to the globalisation of politics and economics from an industrialised to a service economy (Fullan & Watson, 2011). Higher level thinking and communication skills and knowledge are now required to be successful in 21st C jobs and civic life.The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MDEGYA, 2008), advocated the teaching and learning of “general capabilities that underpin flexible and analytical thinking, a capacity to work with others and the ability to move across subject disciplines to new develop new expertise” (p 13). This has been incorporated into the Australian Curriculum as seven cross-curricular general capabilities.Fullan and Watson (2011) recognise several weaknesses in the implementation of systemic educational changes. They questionwhether there is “…sufficient clarity about the higher-order goals for 21st century learning, or skills” (p 33), whether a higher order thinking initiative is well integrated or is an add-on to the curriculum; and how we could strengthen instructional practices and capacity of teachers. Western Australia has undergone several major changes in education in recent years. There are some teachers who are “waiting it out”, as they have experienced new initiatives come and go. Other teachers have taken to the new curriculum like a duck to water. These teachers interest me because... Participants I would like to know whether they have inherent abilities that include higher order (21st century) skillsthat enable them to 'know' how to embed cross curricular priority skills in their curriculum without further professional development. Do these teachers possess attributes that might classify them as expert teachers (Hattie, 2003; Tsui, 2009), positive deviants (Parkin, 2010), knowmads (Moravec (ed), 2013), self-acualised (Mazlov, 1943 and 1954), or as having the 8th habit of being inspirational leaders (Covey, 2006)?Are classroom practices of these teachers measurable and could be used as exemplary, futures oriented practices? What then? 1. What are higher order (21st Century) skills? Literature review (Phase 1)2. Is there a relationship between character strengths, teaching philosophy and the ability to enact the general capabilities ? Survey, identifying 'expert' teachers (Phase 2)3. What is it that these teachers do in their lessons? Interviews and observations (Phase 3) Learning Theories:- androgogy- pedagogy 21st Century skills/ higher order skills- as defined by current ideology/ neo-liberal hegemony- as defined by futurists Definitions of 'future(s)'Theories of:MindfulnessPositive PsychologyFutures prospecting Methods Adelheid Stelter32498945EDU602 Assignment 4Sem 2, 2014 Phase 2:All Western Australian school teachers are eligible to participateVIA Character Strength Survey (Peterson & Seligman, 2004) and reflection on teaching practicePhase 3:Random selection of x participants who scored highly on select VIA characteristics, showing a correlation with futures related teaching practice. This study will employ anexplanatory sequential mixed methods as described by Creswell (2014)Initially a quantitative study will be conducted by surveying a sizable sample Tangentsyet to be exlored These complementary futures paradigms fit across the constructivist, transformative and pragmatic research paradigms.My a view is from a pragmatic position. This allows me to explore the subject from different angles, philosophies and realities. (Creswell, 2014; Mackenzie & Knipe, 2006) Neohumanist education: envisioning alternative futuresDo 'expert' teachers have spiritual qualities?Is there a commonality between the creativity, depth of thinking and analysing that futuresresearchers find are necessaryfor 'prospecting' the future andthe creativity and analytical thinking skills that innovativeteachers display? This study design will be of explanatory sequential mixed methods as described by Creswell (2014). The data of a quantitative survey will be analysed and the results used as a guiding framework for the qualitative phase.1. a quantitative survey will collect data, showing the correlation between character strengths and futures oriented classroom practice. This will identify a target group for the second part of the study2. A small random selection of x teachers will be interviewed and classroom practices observed Phase 4 - analysing of data to identify skills that 'expert' teachers employ.- extracting strategies that can be taughtto other teachers Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGEFullan, M. & Cameron, C. (2011). The slow road to higher order skill. Report to Stupski Foundation. Retrieved from http://gelponline.org/Hideg, É. (2013). Integral futures based on the paradigm approach. Futures, 45, S6–S15.
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