Learning to transform: transforming to learn: An exploration of teacher professional learning practices in the 4Cs (communication, collaboration, creativity and critical reflection), in the primary (K-6) setting

Abstract

The significance of ongoing, effective teacher professional learning is widely recognised as a crucial factor in shaping teacher practice. Nevertheless, the extent to which the identified elements of effective professional learning lead to tangible transformations in teacher practice remains uncertain.

This qualitative research project reports on teacher professional learning in the 4Cs approach (Jefferson & Anderson, 2017, 2021). The 4Cs is a shorthand way of representing the concepts of communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical reflection, and refer to the capabilities needed for deeper learning, personal growth and effective participation in society.

The research explores the professional learning experiences of twelve teachers in three primary settings who are learning to integrate, teach, and assess the 4Cs. The research adopts a practice perspective to examine 4Cs professional learning. It does not conceptualise or interrogate 4Cs professional learning as a set of characteristics, diverging from the prevalent tendency in the existing literature. Rather, the research foregrounds 4Cs professional learning as professional learning practices situated within the Education Complex (Kemmis et al., 2014) of the site.

The findings reveal that 4Cs professional learning practices are intricately connected within the broader ecologies of school practices. These practices, when nurtured by the site-specific arrangements, extend into other areas within the Education Complex and mutually sustain each other when they form ecologies of practices (Wilkinson et al., 2010).

Insights from this study deepen our understanding of 4Cs professional learning by showing how professional learning experiences - and the practices and conditions that constitute them - may empower teachers to transform their approaches for integrating, teaching, and assessing the 4Cs capabilities.