Conceptualisations of neurodiversity and barriers to inclusive pedagogy for early career teachers

神经多样性的概念和早期职业教师包容性教育学的障碍

• 批准号: ES/X007715/1
• 负责人: Anna Cook
• 金额: $ 32.16万
• 依托单位: University of Surrey
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FX007715%2F1
• 关键词: Conceptualisations; neurodiversity; barriers; inclusive; pedagogy

The way teachers think about neurodiversity may be a contributing factor to their capacity and willingness to adopt an inclusive approach in their teaching. With increasing numbers of pupils who are neurodivergent (i.e., with neurodevelopmental differences such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia), there is a growing need to improve understanding and acceptance of difference within education. Confidence to meet the needs of all pupils can be a challenge at the start of a teacher's career, but conceptualising difference as impairment results in less willingness to adapt teaching practices to cater for all. This can have damaging consequences for pupils' mental health and lead to higher rates of permanent and fixed-term exclusions. Research has yet to identify factors that shape teachers' conceptualisations of neurodiversity. A growing body of research suggests that reflective thinking in relation to teaching practice can promote change in complex learning environments, but regarding neurodiversity, this is often under-developed in teacher education programmes. I aim to explore connections between conceptualisations of neurodiversity, reflective thinking, and early career teachers' (ECTs') capacity to enact inclusive principles in neurodiverse classrooms. Further, I will also explore the perspectives of teacher educators in relation to their approach to covering neurodiversity in teacher education programmes.I will track 300 ECTs from the start of their teacher training to the end of their second year of teaching, using online surveys to explore conceptualisations of neurodiversity, beliefs and attitudes about their professional role and their level of reflective thinking. In addition, case studies of 4 ECTs in contrasting school settings and from contrasting training pathways will explore their experiences in more depth and draw on multiple sources regarding teaching for neurodiversity within complex and dynamic school systems. Using qualitative methods, the perspectives of teacher educators will also be gathered regarding the preparation of student teachers for teaching in neurodiverse classrooms, in relation to analysis of programme design documentation.Drawing on these analyses, in collaboration with co-production groups comprising ECTs and neurodivergent young adults, an online resource will be produced providing strategies for ECTs and the wider school community wishing to learn more about teaching for neurodiversity. This will be made available through project partners, such as the Autism Education Trust, the project webpage, and incorporated within the IOE Early Career Framework training programme.Project development and impact will be achieved through partnership with an advisory committee comprising major national bodies with key stakeholder roles in special education, inclusion, and neurodiversity. These advisors will contribute extensive knowledge and experience and established networks with schools, local authorities, policy holders and the wider community of research beneficiaries. Impact will be ensured through a public engagement event, academic publications, international presentation of findings, research briefings and a blog. The project has the potential to make a significant contribution to research since little is currently known about relationships between ECTs' ideological assumptions about neurodiversity and beliefs about their professional role, or the impact of teacher educator perspectives on teacher education programme design. I will also make a broader contribution through informing teacher education and training. If ECTs can be helped to overcome barriers to inclusive practice and increase their confidence and sense of agency this could lead to long-term positive impact on young people, their families, and schools, e.g., a reduction in school exclusions, improved educational outcomes and increased wellbeing of young people and their families, particularly those with neurodevelopmental conditions.

教师对神经多样性的看法可能是他们在教学中采取包容性方法的能力和意愿的一个促成因素。随着越来越多的学生是神经发散的（即，由于存在神经发育差异，如自闭症、多动症和阅读障碍，因此越来越需要在教育中提高对差异的理解和接受。在教师职业生涯开始时，满足所有学生需求的信心可能是一个挑战，但将差异概念化为障碍会导致不太愿意调整教学实践以满足所有人的需求。这可能对学生的心理健康造成破坏性后果，并导致更高的永久和定期开除率。研究还没有确定塑造教师对神经多样性的概念化的因素。越来越多的研究表明，与教学实践有关的反思性思维可以促进复杂学习环境的变化，但关于神经多样性，这往往是不够发达的教师教育计划。我的目标是探索神经多样性的概念化，反思性思维和早期职业教师（ECTs）在神经多样性课堂上制定包容性原则的能力之间的联系。此外，我还将探讨教师教育者的角度，他们的方法，以涵盖neurodiversity在教师教育programmes.I将跟踪300 ECTs从他们的教师培训开始到他们的教学的第二年结束时，使用在线调查，以探讨概念化的neurodiversity，信念和态度，他们的专业角色和反思性思维的水平。此外，在对比鲜明的学校环境和对比鲜明的培训途径的4个ECTs的案例研究将更深入地探讨他们的经验，并借鉴有关复杂和动态的学校系统内的神经多样性教学的多种来源。使用定性方法，教师教育者的观点也将收集关于准备学生教师在神经多样性教室教学，在程序设计文件的分析。借鉴这些分析，在合作生产组包括电子商务技术和神经分歧的年轻人，将制作一个在线资源，为希望了解更多关于神经多样性教学的ECTs和更广泛的学校社区提供策略。这将通过项目合作伙伴提供，如自闭症教育信托基金、项目网页，并纳入教育组织早期职业框架培训方案，通过与一个咨询委员会建立伙伴关系，实现项目的发展和影响，该委员会由在特殊教育、包容和神经多样性方面发挥关键利益攸关方作用的主要国家机构组成。这些顾问将贡献广泛的知识和经验，并与学校，地方当局，保单持有人和更广泛的研究受益者社区建立网络。将通过公众参与活动、学术出版物、在国际上介绍调查结果、研究简报和博客确保产生影响。该项目有可能作出重大贡献的研究，因为很少有人知道ECTs的意识形态假设的神经多样性和信念，他们的专业角色之间的关系，或教师教育者的角度对教师教育方案设计的影响。我还将通过为教师教育和培训提供信息作出更广泛的贡献。如果能帮助幼儿保育和培训小组克服包容性实践的障碍，增强他们的信心和自主感，这可能会对年轻人、他们的家庭和学校产生长期的积极影响，例如，减少学校排斥，改善教育成果，增加年轻人及其家庭的福祉，特别是那些有神经发育问题的人。