Learning lives of teachers in remote and peri-urban primary school contexts in Indonesia

How well do conventional theories of professional learning explain the learning lives of teachers in remote and peri-urban primary school contexts in Indonesia?

Dr Imelda Dwi Rosita Sari

8 April, 11-12:30

GSRC, Arts C / Zoom Webinar

"My doctoral research focuses on how teachers in remote and peri-urban primary schools in Indonesia learn in contexts between professional isolation and connectedness.

I employed a qualitative two-case study design, drawing on ethnographic approaches involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 6 remote and 9 peri-urban teachers so that I could develop detailed, contextualised understandings of professional learning (PL) from teachers’ accounts.

Before undertaking my fieldwork, my thinking about PL was shaped by the important distinctions between informal and formal learning, individual and social learning, and by the importance of conceptualisations of the teacher as a reflective practitioner. I also assumed that teachers would vary in the degrees to which they were connected with other teachers or adopted more isolated learning practices.

Through my research, I discovered the distinctions and notions above are important theoretical resources for understanding teachers’ learning in remote and peri-urban contexts in Indonesia. However, they do not offer a comprehensive explanation of the PL processes, practices and outcomes expressed by the teachers in my study.

I shall summarise my research, fill in some of the theoretical gaps, and offer a typological framework for clarifying similarities and differences between the two groups of teachers in my study."

We look forward to having you join us for this event! If you have any queries, please email cie@sussex.ac.uk. You can also visit our website: Centre for International Education, University of Sussex.