Conference Paper: Embracing Inclusive Education: Teachers' Views About Their Professional Development

 Conference Paper

Embracing Inclusive Education: Teachers' Views About Their Professional Development

• August 2021

• Conference: 5 th International Conference on Teacher Learning and Development (ICTLD) 2021 Edition (03 – 05 August 2021)
• At: ITE Temenggong Ibrahim Campus, Ministry of Education

Abstract

Inclusive education is being promoted as a process of moving towards quality and equality for all students. To embrace inclusive education, teachers are expected to improve personally and professionally to provide quality-teaching suitable for the 21st century. Teachers have undergone various professional development activities to be competent for all students. This study brings to light teachers' significant yet overlooked perspectives on the necessity and efficacy of this change. It aims to understand the teachers' views on the requirement for the promotion of inclusive education in Malaysia's primary school. The study adopts a qualitative approach that employs interpretative and exploratory methods to elucidate teachers' views. There were 76 participants from five National primary schools, and 25 teachers were interviewed individually and 51 participated in eight focus-group interviews. Ten classroom observations were conducted prior to the individual interviews. The data were analysed thematically by the inductive approach, using NVivo software. Theories of inclusive education and the 'Cognitive Activation in the Mathematics Classroom and Professional Competence of Teachers' (COACTIV) model of teachers' professional competence was adopted to analyse teachers' views. In the model, four aspects of competences were identified as needing improvement through professional development: beliefs, values and goals; motivational orientations; professional knowledge; and self-regulation. The results show that teachers view an inclusive professional development activity to be necessary to embrace inclusive education. Such activities must be continuous and based on the teachers' requirement considering the relevancy of Malaysian context. The findings will be of value in developing teacher training programmes and informing the potential topics for Continuous Professional Development programmes.

Abstrak

Pendidikan inklusif dipromosikan sebagai satu proses menuju ke arah kualiti dan kesaksamaan untuk semua pelajar. Untuk menerima pendidikan inklusif, guru diharapkan untuk meningkatkan diri dan profesional untuk menyediakan pengajaran berkualiti sesuai untuk abad ke-21. Guru telah menjalani pelbagai aktiviti pembangunan profesional untuk menjadi kompeten untuk semua pelajar. Kajian ini mendedahkan perspektif guru yang signifikan namun diabaikan tentang keperluan dan keberkesanan perubahan ini. Ia bertujuan untuk memahami pandangan guru tentang keperluan promosi pendidikan inklusif di sekolah rendah Malaysia. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif yang menggunakan kaedah interpretatif dan penerokaan untuk menjelaskan pandangan guru. Terdapat 76 peserta dari lima sekolah rendah Kebangsaan, dan 25 guru telah ditemu bual secara individu dan 51 menyertai lapan temu bual kumpulan fokus. Sepuluh pemerhatian bilik darjah telah dijalankan sebelum temu bual individu. Data dianalisis secara tematik dengan pendekatan induktif, menggunakan perisian NVivo. Teori pendidikan inklusif dan model 'Pengaktifan Kognitif dalam Bilik Darjah Matematik dan Kecekapan Profesional Guru' (COACTIV) model kompetensi profesional guru telah diterima pakai untuk menganalisis pandangan guru. Dalam model tersebut, empat aspek kecekapan dikenal pasti memerlukan penambahbaikan melalui pembangunan profesional: kepercayaan, nilai dan matlamat; orientasi motivasi; pengetahuan profesional; dan peraturan kendiri. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa guru melihat aktiviti pembangunan profesional inklusif adalah perlu untuk menerima pendidikan inklusif. Aktiviti sedemikian mestilah berterusan dan berdasarkan keperluan guru dengan mengambil kira kerelevanan konteks Malaysia. Penemuan ini akan menjadi nilai dalam membangunkan program latihan guru dan memaklumkan topik yang berpotensi untuk program Pembangunan Profesional Berterusan.

(Kertas Persidangan yang lengkap boleh di akses dan dirujuk di laman berikut:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366000047_Embracing_Inclusive_Education_Teachers'_Views_About_Their_Professional_Development