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Raising a literacy-embedding team's awareness of their meaning-making: A constructivist approach

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Abstract

In this paper, we outline a constructivist approach to raising a literacy/numeracy [LN]-embedding team’s awareness of their meaning-making in their context of work. Using grid methodology from personal construct psychology, we first formulated elements for construct elicitation. These elements, couched in the form of eight LN-embedding scenarios, comprised four which captured embedding practices consistent with LN teaching principles, and four which did not. We proceeded to dyadic elicitation using a random selection of eight pairs of these scenarios. For each pair, we elicited the most significant constructs from three team members (recording approximately 50 constructs per person). Each team member selected the ten constructs they judged to be most significant in their meaning-making in the LN-embedding context. These were put into individual ratings grids, and each member of the team then used their ten constructs to rate each of the eight scenarios (producing 80 ratings per person). The poles of the 7-point rating scale coincided with the poles of the constructs. Using the SPSS package, we performed correlational analyses on these ratings. Each team member’s correlation matrix became an agenda for discussing the direct and inverse relationships among constructs in their grids. Using each member’s grid, we discussed these relationships to illustrate critical-reflective meaning-making in context. We conclude that this approach may be used in a professional development context to raise enabling educators’ awareness of their meaning-making in embedding LN in vocational education. We recommend the approach because it takes the meaning-making of a specific person as a stepping stone into raising his/her awareness of LN processes and practices.

Item Type: Book Chapter
Additional Information: Conference held 25-27 November, 2009 in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Uncontrolled Keywords: embedding literacy, constructs, meaning-making, repertory grid analysis, laddering
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
L Education > LC Special aspects of education
Divisions: Schools > Centre for Foundation Studies
Depositing User: Willfred Greyling
Date Deposited: 06 Dec 2010 03:27
Last Modified: 21 Jul 2023 02:27
URI: http://researcharchive.wintec.ac.nz/id/eprint/800

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