The rapid rise of technologies and global interdependencies has generated novel epistemological, economic and social patterns of human behaviour. This creates emergent landscapes for education and learning and particularly for the idea of authentic pedagogy, which seeks to enhance and enrich connections between learning at school, the learner-self and the contexts where knowledge is generated and applied. Authentic pedagogy has been adapted in schools across many countries; its impact on the quality of learning has been progressively explored and the challenges of implementation have been reported repeatedly. Less attention has been paid to the pedagogical dynamics of adapting authentic pedagogy to the dominant performance oriented culture of Western schooling. This thesis critically explores this issue through the lens of complexity theory and a mixed methods participatory case study in two secondary schools in Northern England. Data collected include classroom observations, teacher's lesson plans, interviews with teachers and learners, and surveys of learner's learning power, engagement in learning, and pedagogical perceptions. The data were subjected to thematic and causal loop analysis and a modelling methodology was trialled to explore the dynamics between pedagogical authenticity and the development of students' learning power and engagement. Educational authenticity, personal authenticity and systemic fitness were identified as three quality components that underpin authentic pedagogy. These components were found to be in conflict with a performance oriented culture while they were able to form a virtuous improvement circle in an agent-based culture. The findings are synthesised in the elaboration of an agent-based pedagogical archetype. This archetype and the complexity lens through which it was developed will contribute to educators' capability in designing and steering pedagogical innovations to fulfil a locally defined purpose.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:658632 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Huang, Shaofu |
| Publisher | University of Bristol |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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