Overall Progress
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
By the end of this session, students will be able to:
Analyze the concept of teacher professionalism across different cultural and educational systems
Using collaborative discussion to identify shared and divergent dimensions
Compare local (e.g., national) standards for teacher professionalism with international frameworks
Through small-group inquiry (e.g., OECD, UNESCO)
Construct a group-generated definition of "teacher professionalism"
That integrates multiple perspectives and reflects synthesized understanding
Critique real-world case studies of professional dilemmas
Using collaborative argumentation and evidence from research
Reflect on personal assumptions about professionalism and growth areas
Through dialogic journaling with peer feedback
Pre-Class Preparation
Framed as a "shared foundation for dialogue" in Social Constructivism
๐ Pre-Reading Materials
- Hargreaves, A. (2000). Four ages of professionalism and professional learning. Teachers and Teaching, 6(2), 151-182.
- Focus on pages addressing local/international tensions (10 pages)
- OECD (2019). TALIS โ The Teaching and Learning International Survey: Key findings on teacher professionalism
- Infographic and 2-page summary
๐ญ Guiding Questions for Note-Taking
Bring your notes to class to facilitate discussion:
- What are the components of teacher professionalism that seem universal?
- What aspects appear to be culturally specific?
- Find one example from your own educational experience that illustrates a tension between local expectations and international trends.
๐ Pre-Class Poll
Padlet Baseline Poll
"On a scale of 1-5, how well-defined is 'teacher professionalism' in your country? Explain briefly."
How to Access and Use Padlet for This Activity
- Go to Padlet.com (or use the link provided by your instructor)
- Join the class Padlet board using the access code shared via your LMS
- Click the + (Plus) button to add your response
- Rate teacher professionalism in your country on a scale of 1-5
- Write a brief explanation (2-3 sentences) justifying your rating
- Submit your post โ you can also read and comment on peers' responses
Purpose: This poll serves as a baseline for collaborative comparison during class and helps surface diverse viewpoints on what "professionalism" means across contexts.
Introduction
๐ฅ Pedagogy-Aligned Hook
Dyad Discussion"A professional teacher is the same everywhere โ the only difference is the pay."
Activity (2 minutes):
- Form pairs (dyads) with the person next to you
- Discuss: Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
- Each pair shares one key point with the whole class
Social Constructivism: immediate peer interaction
Discussion Timer
๐ Pre-Test Review with Misconception Analysis
- Display aggregated results from the pre-class Padlet poll
- Identify common misconceptions (e.g., "professionalism is only about qualifications")
- Guide whole-class discussion to surface diverse viewpoints
๐ Real-World Connection
Video AnalysisShow a 2-minute video clip of teachers in different countries (Japan vs. Finland vs. Ghana) performing similar tasks (e.g., lesson planning, parent communication).
"What does 'professionalism' look like in each context? Why might it differ?"
Suggested video sources: YouTube documentaries on education systems
Development Activities
Activity Block 1: Collaborative Concept Mapping
โฐ 25 minutesObjective: Groups of 4-5 students create a concept map that organizes the key dimensions of teacher professionalism from the pre-reading. Groups must reach consensus on categories.
Instructions:
- Form groups of 4-5 students
- Create a concept map using physical poster/markers or digital tools (Miro or Google Jamboard)
- Organize dimensions such as: knowledge, autonomy, ethics, accountability
- Select and connect at least 6 components from the provided list, plus add 2 of your own
- After 15 minutes, pair with another group to compare maps, identify gaps, and merge ideas
- Code of ethics
- Continuing education
- Collegial collaboration
- Public trust
- Professional autonomy
- Accountability
- Subject knowledge
- Pedagogical expertise
- Reflective practice
- Cultural responsiveness
Digital Tool: Miro or Google Jamboard
How to Use Miro for Concept Mapping
- Go to Miro.com or use the class board link
- Create a new board or access the shared class board
- Use sticky notes to represent each component of teacher professionalism
- Drag and drop to organize components into categories
- Use connector lines to show relationships between components
- Add text boxes to label categories (e.g., "Knowledge Domain," "Ethical Practice")
- Invite your group members to collaborate in real-time
- Use different colors for components vs. categories
Purpose: Visual mapping helps groups negotiate meaning and surface divergent perspectives on professionalism components.
Concept Mapping Timer
Social Constructivism: socially constructed knowledge through group consensus
Activity Block 2: Case Study Jigsaw
โฐ 35 minutesObjective: Analyze three professional dilemmas across different contexts using the Jigsaw protocol
The Three Case Studies:
Grade Inflation Pressure
Ms. Chen teaches mathematics at an urban high school. At the end of the semester, her principal calls her into the office and pressures her to "reconsider" the failing grades she assigned to several students, suggesting that the school's performance metrics will suffer. The principal hints that her contract renewal might depend on "being a team player." Ms. Chen believes her grades accurately reflect student performance and that inflating them would compromise her professional integrity. However, she needs this job and worries about the students' futures if they fail.
Dilemma: Should professional autonomy override institutional pressure? What standards are at stake?
Cultural Discipline Clash
Mr. Rodriguez, from Spain, teaches at an international school in Singapore. He uses a collaborative, informal approach to classroom management that worked well in Europe. However, parents complain that he is "too lenient" and doesn't enforce strict discipline, which conflicts with local expectations for teacher authority. The school administration suggests he adopt more traditional, hierarchical methods. Mr. Rodriguez feels this would undermine his pedagogical beliefs about student agency and democratic classrooms, but he's also new to this cultural context.
Dilemma: How do culturally different views of authority shape teacher professionalism? Should he adapt or advocate?
Digital Surveillance vs. Academic Integrity
Dr. Patel teaches an online university course. During exams, the university's proctoring software monitors students' screens and webcams, flagging "suspicious" behavior. Dr. Patel reviews the flags and finds many false positivesโstudents looking away to think, accessing permitted notes, or having family members in the background. The software disproportionately flags international students in small apartments. Dr. Patel questions whether this surveillance is professional or ethical, but the university insists it's necessary to maintain academic integrity in online settings.
Dilemma: Does professionalism require prioritizing academic integrity over student privacy? What are the equity implications?
Jigsaw Protocol:
Original groups of 4-5. Each member becomes "expert" on one case (5 min reading)
All students with same case meet. Discuss dilemmas, define standards violated, propose solutions (10 min)
Each expert teaches their case & solution (3 min each = 12 min total)
Group identifies common professionalism principles across cases (8 min)
Digital Tool: Padlet for Case Proposals
How to Use Padlet for Case Study Sharing
- Access the class Padlet board via the link shared by your instructor
- Three columns will be set up: Case 1, Case 2, Case 3
- After your home group synthesis, post your group's key findings in the relevant column
- Include: (a) Standards violated, (b) Proposed solution, (c) Common principle identified
- Browse other groups' posts to see different perspectives
- Use the comment feature to ask clarifying questions or add insights
Purpose: Making all group proposals visible enables cross-group learning and comparison of solutions.
Jigsaw Activity Timer
Social Constructivism: peer teaching and co-construction of comparative understanding
Activity Block 3: Collaborative Definition Construction
โฐ 25 minutesObjective: The whole class collectively constructs one sentence definition of teacher professionalism that is context-sensitive yet robust
Process:
- Post Principles (5 min): Each home group posts their synthesized list of common principles on the board
- Structured Debate (10 min): Facilitate discussion: "Which principle is most contested across contexts?" (e.g., autonomy vs. accountability)
- Collective Writing (7 min): Using the emerging list, the class constructs ONE sentence definition
- Peer Critique (3 min): "Does this definition work for all three case contexts? What might a teacher in [country X] add?"
Digital Tool: Google Docs for Co-Construction
How to Use Google Docs for Collaborative Writing
- Access the shared Google Doc via the link provided by your instructor
- The instructor will share editing access with all students
- Groups contribute their principles in bullet points at the top
- As the class discusses, the instructor (or designated scribe) drafts the definition in real-time
- Students can use Suggesting mode to propose edits to the definition
- Use the comment feature to flag concerns or propose alternatives
- Watch the definition evolve collaboratively in real-time
- Final version is saved and shared with all students
Purpose: Real-time collaborative writing makes the negotiation of meaning visible and participatory.
Draft Your Own Definition First:
Before the class discussion, write your own one-sentence definition:
Definition Construction Timer
Social Constructivism: joint artifact creation; consensus building through dialogue
Synthesis & Closure
๐ Post-Test Diagnostic Quiz
Mentimeter Interactive Quiz
Quick 5-item multiple-choice quiz framed as "Are you ready to apply this?"
How to Use Mentimeter for the Post-Quiz
- Go to www.menti.com
- Enter the code displayed on the instructor's screen
- Answer 5 multiple-choice questions about teacher professionalism
- Questions test your ability to transfer concepts to new scenarios
- After each question, the instructor will show the class distribution
- Discuss with a partner why correct answers are context-sensitive
- Follow-up prompt: "In your pair, agree on one alternative option that would also be defensible in a different context"
Purpose: Transforms a quiz into a collaborative reflection tool by prompting peer discussion about context-sensitivity.
Sample quiz questions test ability to transfer to new scenarios (e.g., "Which scenario below best illustrates teacher professionalism as defined by the class?")
Show results and discuss why correct answers are context-sensitive.
๐ฅ Peer-Teaching Summary
Pair Work- In pairs, students take 2 minutes each to explain the "most surprising insight" about international professionalism to their partner
- Two volunteers synthesize for the whole class
Peer Summary Timer
๐ฎ Preview of Next Session
Next Session: "Next time we move from defining professionalism to enacting it โ we'll apply these ideas to design a professional learning plan using the TPACK framework."
๐ซ Exit Ticket
Prompt: "Name one principle of teacher professionalism that you now see differently because of a peer's contribution."
Assessment Methods
๐ Formative Assessment (During Class)
1. Observations of Group Dynamics
Instructor notes which groups integrate multiple perspectives (Social Constructivism indicator) using a checklist
Observation Checklist:
2. Case Study Jigsaw Peer Assessment
Simple peer-assessment rubric (1-3 scale) completed by home group members for each expert:
| Criterion | 1 (Needs Work) | 2 (Good) | 3 (Excellent) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarity of explanation | Unclear or incomplete | Clear main points | Very clear and detailed |
| Connection to evidence | Little/no evidence | Some evidence used | Strong evidence from readings |
Constructive Alignment Matrix
Showing the coherent linkage between Learning Outcomes, Teaching Activities, Assessment Methods, and Pedagogy
| Learning Outcome | Teaching Activity | Assessment Method | Pedagogy Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Analyze dimensions of professionalism across contexts | Pre-reading; Concept mapping; Jigsaw expert groups | Instructor observation; Peer validation during mapping | Social Constructivism: collaborative analysis of multiple sources; peer negotiation of categories |
| 2. Compare local vs international frameworks | Case study jigsaw (expert discussion); Concept map comparison between groups | Expert group peer assessment; Group synthesis notes | Social Constructivism: peer teaching; co-construction of comparative understanding |
| 3. Construct a group definition | Whole-class collaborative writing; Structured debate | Exit ticket (how peer changed view); Draft definition on shared doc | Social Constructivism: joint artifact creation; consensus building through dialogue |
| 4. Critique professional dilemmas using evidence | Case study analysis in expert groups; Home group synthesis | Case-based peer feedback; Post-test scenario questions | Social Constructivism: argumentation with peers; using evidence from diverse contexts |
| 5. Reflect on personal assumptions | Dialogic journaling (pre-class notes + exit ticket); Pair sharing during closure | Exit ticket; Reflection paper (summative) | Social Constructivism: metacognitive dialogue; self in relation to others |
Required Resources & Technology
๐ Learning Management System
Moodle/Blackboard/Canvas for pre-reading and pre-class poll
๐ป Collaborative Digital Tools
- Miro or Google Jamboard for concept mapping (free)
- Padlet for case study proposals and pre-class poll
- Google Docs for co-constructed definition
Differentiation & Inclusivity
Social Constructivism tailored supports
๐ฏ Multiple Entry Points
Case studies range from familiar (local school) to novel (online surveillance) โ students can choose which to become expert on based on interest/experience
๐ Tiered Questioning
During concept mapping, groups that finish early receive an extension:
Extension Question: "Identify a dimension that is often invisible (e.g., emotional labour) and add it to your map with justification."
๐ฅ Peer Mentoring
Assign a "dialogue buddy" for English language learners โ more fluent peers help scaffold academic vocabulary during discussions
โฟ Accessibility Supports
- Readings: All readings available in accessible PDF with text-to-speech compatibility
- Case studies: Provided in writing AND as audio recordings (pre-recorded by instructor)
- Digital tools: Miro/Padlet can be used with screen readers; provide captioned explanations
- Kinesthetic option: Concept maps can be built with physical objects (cards, string) for tactile learners
- Visual supports: Color-coding for case studies; visual timers displayed
- Processing time: Allow "think time" before pair/group discussions; option to write responses before speaking
Interactive Materials & Tools
๐ Tool 1: Mentimeter Quiz - Teacher Professionalism Standards
Social ConstructivismDescription: A 10-item multiple-choice quiz embedded in Mentimeter to use at the start and end. Questions target common misconceptions. After the post-quiz, results are shared, and students in pairs discuss why they chose a particular answer, then suggest a better question. This turns a quiz into a collaborative reflection tool.
How to Set Up Mentimeter
Step-by-Step Mentimeter Instructions
For Instructors:
- Go to www.mentimeter.com and sign up/log in (free for up to 50 responses)
- Click "Create presentation" and add a new slide
- Select "Multiple Choice" question type
- Enter the question and 4 answer options
- Mark the correct answer by clicking the checkmark
- Enable "Show results" to display class distribution after each question
- Create 10 questions total (see sample questions below)
- Click "Present" and share the code with students
For Students:
- Go to www.menti.com on your device
- Enter the 6-digit code shown on the instructor's screen
- Answer each question by selecting your choice
- View the class results after each question
- Discuss with your pair why certain answers are context-sensitive
Follow-up Discussion Prompt: "In your pair, agree on one alternative option that would also be defensible in a different context."
Sample Quiz Questions:
Q1: Which of the following is NOT considered a universal dimension of teacher professionalism?
๐ด Tool 2: Flashcards - Teacher Professionalism Key Terms
Interactive LearningDescription: A set of 12 digital flashcards covering essential terms. Each card includes a definition, an example from a specific country, and a "peer discussion question" that prompts reflection on how the term applies differently in local vs. international settings.
Autonomy
Click to see definition and example