A comparative study of urban, rural and remote teachers’ de-privatised practices

Abstract

De-privatisation of classrooms is characterised by formal and informal invitations to colleagues to access classroom management, pedagogical approaches and teaching practices. This case study of six secondary schools examined the perceptions and practices of de-privatised practice amongst Fijian urban, rural and remote area teachers. Quantitative and qualitative data was generated from a total of 197 online questionnaires and 48 face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Key findings of the research were, firstly, that school geographical locations had no impact on teachers’ perceptions and practices of classroom de-privatisation. Secondly, de-privatised practices are impacted on by individual, group, school and governmental factors. Thirdly, in Fiji the consistent drive to de-privatise classrooms is lacking, as the policies do not support such reforms. Nonetheless, teacher perceptions validated the belief that classroom de-privatisation enhances teacher professional growth that promotes improved student learning. These findings have implications for the design of teachers’ professional learning communities (PLCs) in Fiji and beyond.

Keywords

De-privatised practice; professional learning community; comparative study; teachers’ professional growth; secondary schools; Fiji