The impact of system based teacher development programs in Catholic schools. Participant perspectives from the Diocese of Parramatta in the 1990s
Tony Bracken, Australian Catholic University
Introduction
In 1993 I was invited to write a history of a group in the Parramatta Diocese known as the Spiritual Formation Team which had developed programs for the 'faith formation' of staff in Catholic schools beginning in 1990. As I began puttting together the story of the Spiritual Formation Team and describing the programs it had developed it became evident that a rich source of data for research lay in the stories of the hundreds of participants of these programs.
The evaluative reflections completed by participants at the end of a program provided some initial clues as to the impact of the experience for participants. It was evident that participation in a program was, for some, a formative experience involving core beliefs and values. To further investigate these findings a focus group methodology is being utilised to draw out the experiences and meanings from participants in these and other programs offered by the CEO and to explore the impact of the program on individuals especially in their work in Catholic schools. This paper deals with one of the programs and represents a stage toward the completion of the project with data collection still in progress.
One of the first requirements in researching this area is to clarify the meaning and significance of the language used to describe the programs and the experiences of the participants. For instance, descriptors such as "spiritual formation" need some clarification and will be discussed in a following section.
The qualitative data emerging from the research can better be understood and interpreted by an appreciation of broader contextual realities. The Spiritual Formation Team was employed by the Catholic Education Office, Parramatta and programs were developed because of a perceived need for the "spiritual formation" of staff in the context of a rapidly declining religious presence in schools. The clear expectation of the role of teachers and administrators in the religious mission of Catholic schools is to be found in diocesan vision statements and official church documents. Yet increasing religious pluralism, different expressions of Catholic tradition and contemporary spiritual trends bear consideration for their potential to impact on the teacher and his or her capacity to meet these expectations. On a more pragmatic level an appreciation of teachers work in a time of change is revealing: the day to day routines of the teachers who are participating in this research, the time constraints and frustrations they experience, as well as their expectations and beliefs will emerge in the research data.
Over the years since 1990 the Spiritual Formation Team and the CEO in collaboration with ACU have developed a range of teacher development programs which enhance the capacity of teachers and administrators to contribute to the religious mission of the Catholic school. These form a small part of a diverse program of professional development programs in the diocese.
Criteria for selection of a program
The criteria of selection for a teacher development program in the present study is that it is offered to educational staff in the Parramatta Diocese and the program sets out directly or indirectly to enhance the capacity of the participant to contribute to the religious mission and ethos of the Catholic school. One of these programs, "Wellsprings" is the subject of this paper.
The Wellsprings Program
In an introductory letter to schools in the Parramatta Diocese in March 1990, the Spiritual Formation Team described the programs offered through the diocese as "providing for the personal and faith formation of staff, an opportunity to reflect on their journey in faith and their ministry in Catholic schools...". There is a consistent focus on the personal development of the teacher in programs run by the Spiritual Formation Team. Among these programs "Wellsprings" has been offered a number of times each year, with a basic consistency of content and style of presentation and with approximately 30 participants in each program. This consistency of format and participation makes "Wellsprings" a good source of potential learning. It is the experience of this program, its impact on the personal and professional lives of teachers in Catholic schools, which is being investigated and reported on in this paper.
The name "Wellsprings" derives from the scripture passage which describes Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well (Jn 4:14). The program consists of an initial 5 days live-in followed by two twilight sessions. The program involves an integration of input sessions on contemporary theology and ministry with community living, group sessions, reflection time, artistic expression and liturgy.
"Wellsprings" programs have been offered since 1991 with three programs running each year. The program is run at the Mt St Benedicts Centre, Pennant Hills which provides live in accommodation for participants.
Terminolgy and language
The term 'spirituality' is difficult to define, though it is in common usage within and outside traditional religions. For instance it is used in reference to so called "New Age" gurus such as Chopra and Robbins whose popularity according to some commentators derives from the intense hunger for "spirituality" and search for meaning. Spirituality has firmly embedded itself within the self help literature and given the proliferation of books of this type, it appears that spirituality can fix almost everything (Stonebraker, 1995). It is also a term in popular usage within mainstream Christianity reflected by contemporary practice eg: annual "Spirituality nights" for men and women at St Mary's Church, North Sydney and the "Spirituality in the Pub" program.
Within the Christian tradition spirituality is concerned with the conjunction of theology, prayer and practical Christianity, it's cross disciplinary nature accounting for problems of coherence and potential ambiguity. Spirituality may be one of those terms whose meaning people claim to understand until they have to define it (Sheldrake, 1991) however it's common usage needs to be acknowledged.
The lack of clarity in the term is noted by Crawford and Rossiter (1993) who argue for a redefining of the term as it applies to staff teaching in Catholic schools. In defining a spirituality for teachers in Catholic schools there needs to be recognition of the difficulties of implementing programs in a setting which does not adapt readily to a contemplative lifestyle. The term has generally not been in the vocabulary of lay teachers though it's usage is increasingly evident in the literature relating to teachers in Catholic schools. Treston (1988) emphasises the importance of a spirituality for teachers in Catholic schools and believes there is a new appreciation of a spirituality for teachers. Cantwell (1992) refers to a radically Catholic spirituality for teachers which is essentially incarnational: seeing God everywhere, in everything and everyone. When enabled to appreciate a fully incarnational and ecumenical spirituality teachers can experience spiritual growth within their own disciplines. An infusion of Catholic values in the secular curriculum is the essence of the "Sense of the Sacred" project in secondary Catholic schools ( D'Orsa et al, 1995).
The term 'formation' has its origins within the unique experiences of the religious orders where personal and spiritual development of an individual occurred within the specific culture and charism of the order. Keely (1992) notes the contrast between a formation model and an inservice model for teachers, the former is primarily concerned with the spiritual formation of participants rather than addressing specific topics within the Catholic tradition such as liturgy, theology and scripture. Formative education differs from critical education observes Durka (1995) in that formation is a process whereby the learner is shaped by an educator according to some a priori ideal or model. Critical education on the other hand attempts to enhance the learners evaluative thinking. In reality the two concepts are part of a continuum where formation contributes to a persons identity and enculturation within the Christian tradition and critical education involves a critical reflection on this tradition in the context of life experience.
Teacher formation initiatives in America have tended to utilise ecclesial language and refer to teaching as a ministry where the teacher becomes the Catholic educational minister (Boys, 1989). While teaching is not referred to as a ministry in Vatican documents relating to Catholic schools it is described as a ministry in a number of vision statements including "Touching the Future, a Plan for Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Parramatta" (1994) and underpins the philosophy of the Spritual Formation Team. Such an understanding finds a source in Pauls letters to the Corinthians where teaching is one of the special ministries named by Paul.
On the one hand to view teaching as a ministry is to provide a way of incorporating it into the broad spectrum of ministerial activities of the church. However a predominance of ministerial language may encourage an "ecclesiastical exclusivity" which could ultimately reflect a separation of the Catholic school from the public forum. A priority assigned to the spiritual and religious formation of teachers also suggests a role for the school as an agency of moral formation. Boys (1989) asks: Is this at the expense of a devaluation of the intellectual life ? As a well educated group of people it has been my experience that teachers are fairly critical of initiatives lacking intellectual rigour and even more critical of moralising positions. It is appropriate to keep Boys question in mind as participants reflect on the experience of a program in this research.
The term "faith development" or "faith formation" are used in descriptions of some of the programs offered to staff in Parramatta. Unlike spirituality which is an eclectic term, faith development or formation suggest personal growth within a religious tradition though individual faith needs to be distinguished from "keeping the faith" which is loyalty to a religious tradition. A persons individual faith is their belief paradigm, the mental construct to which they subscribe and through which they interpret experiences and the world around them. It is not simply assent to doctrines and teachings but a personal paradigm for living. Each persons faith is unique and freely accepted. While a persons faith can be nourished within a religious tradition it also trancends it and is open to change through new insights and experiences (Smith 1996).
The language of faith development is frequently associated with Fowlers faith development theory (Fowler, 1981) which describes stages of faith in a persons development. Leavey's research in the area of adolescent faith sponsorship is based on Fowlers faith stage theory (Leavey, 1992). The present project does not set out to apply faith stage theory to the participants life stories. What is relevant however is acknowledgement that personal faith and beliefs can develop and mature and that in any sample of participants individuals can be at different points in the development of their faith.
The language of education needs also to be included in this overview. Keely's (1992) national research in the area of adult faith education highlighted differences in what respondents understood to be adult faith education. Some respondents understood adult faith education as formal courses involving lectures, assignments and some form of accreditation, whereas for others the term is synonmous with faith formation.
Trainor (1991) views education as a transforming process, a movement in the individual which brings about a growth in interiority, harmony and integrity. In the same way, faith education is a transformative process, a transaction between the past, present and future- a reclaiming of the wisdom and memory of the Christian tradition and reaching into the present situation and experience. Faith education is ultimately located in the political arena since it affects the participants relationship with the world and their activity in society.
The purpose of this brief overview is to introduce some of the language in this domain of human experience. In seeking to understand what is happening in the lives of participants, the tools of language are useful. However language can also limit and constrain the research, especially where perceptions and meanings differ among participants. As far as possible participants have been invited to relate experiences unimpeded by the limitations of language.
The role and expectations of the teacher in the Catholic school
The importance of the teacher to the religious aims of Catholic schools is clearly emphasised in documents, in vision statements and in the literature. The extent to which the Christian message is transmitted through education depends to a very great extent on the teacher (The Catholic School, 1977). Teachers express in their own lives the integration of religious truths and values with the rest of life and in so doing have a profound impact upon the education and formation of their pupils (American Catholic Bishops, 1976). In a statement from the Diocesan Schools Board in Parramatta the teacher : recognises a personal role in the teaching ministry of the Catholic Church, which goes beyond the need for professional skills and competencies- the teacher brings to the students a realisation and knowledge of the richness and joy of a life lived in accordance with Gospel values (Catholic Education Office, Parramatta, 1991).
By virtue of their position teachers are role models, mentors and communicators of values whether they intend to be or not. Their beliefs and convictions become known to students and are influential in students efforts to sort out and build positions on matters of faith and values (Benson and Guerra, 1985). Given the influential position of the teacher it is essential that the values and beliefs of teachers are consistent with and supportive of the the beliefs and values which the school publicly claims. The living of these values and ideals authentically by teachers has been decribed as the glue which binds together all the aspirations of the school as it endeavours to hand on to its students the richness of the Christian life and spirituality (Keane and Keane, 1997, p5).
Catholic schools in new times
Today it is not as easy to define what it means to be Catholic. There was a time when the symbols and rituals of belonging were much clearer and Catholic identity more pronounced. While the external expressions of a Catholic identity have faded there has been a pronounced increase in the search for the essence and core of Catholicism and in scholarship among lay Catholics. The Catholic school and its teachers are part of this changing emphasis. These shifts can be attributed to to the wider cultural and social changes associated with a post modern period and within the Catholic tradition to the changes associated with the Second Vatican Council.
The global trends include a growing lack of confidence in all encompassing belief systems where moral and scientific certainty have lost credibilty: so called "dead certainties" (Hargreaves,1994). There is a movement toward new expressions of the spiritual "the new spirituality factor" (Smith, 1996) arising from a deep hunger for meaning and first hand experiences of the spiritual fragmentation of modern life (Fowler, 1991). Large numbers of people are leaving the the form of Christian religion they were born into to find their own means of spiritual growth because the beliefs proposed so authoritatively no longer seem to ring true and are at variance with peoples experience- their spirituality is not nourished by what the churches are offering (Smith, 1996). It should be noted that change and uncertainty also prompts a response toward fundamentalism which is a parallel trend in our time.
Tacey (1995: 126) lays down a considerable challenge to the traditional churches when he forecasts that this "explosion of the spirit" will not lead to an immediate revitalisation of the church: "the church will most likely close its doors to the new revelations of the spirit, because its primary task is to defend and support orthodoxy, rather than to chart the course of the wayward spirit". The new age of the spirit is reflected in such contemporary phenomenon as meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, health food shops, spiritual channeling, acupuncture, Tarot cards, hypnoticism, complimentary medicines, healing techniques etc. Associated with same movement is the emergence of global movements of ecological awareness and conservation. The growing popularity of many of these phenomenon has shifted them much more into mainstream in recent years. The same hunger for an experience of the spiritual is reflected in the popularity of charismatic groups both within and outside traditional religions. The trend suggests a move away from religious knowledge and literalism toward spiritual experiences.
In place of reductionist science and scientific certainty, the new cosmology is providing a meeting ground for the scientific and the mystical. Increasingly, our vision of reality which has been traditionally physical and scientific is becoming more metaphysical. We are becoming aware that against all the odds the universe is fine tuned for life. If the rate of expansion one second after the Big Bang had been smaller by even one part in a hundred thousand million million it would have recollapsed before it reached its present size (Hawking, 1988). The worldview from modern science which is 'filtering into our consciousness' is wide open to religious meanings and congruent with the language of liturgy observes Toolan (1991).
Speaking asa theologian from within the Catholic tradition Kelly (1993) summarises the challenge of what he calls "the new paradigm": to connect the scientific data on the genesis of the cosmos with both the psychological data of the genesis of self, and the religious data on the genesis of God within the world through the mystery of the Incarnation. Farrell (1996) discusses points at the interface between the New Age movement and the Christian tradition.
In the years since the Second Vatican Council there has been an increase in religious scholarship among lay Catholics. In recent times this is reflected in the numbers undertaking theological courses and participating in what Keely (1992) would broadly describe as adult faith education. Teachers in Catholic schools are at the forefront in this regard with increasing numbers of teachers attaining religious education or theological qualifications. While one visible sign of a Catholic identity, the presence of religious orders in Catholic schools, has declined sharply over the last few decades it could be argued that there is considerable energy being directed toward enhancing religious education and core values in Catholic schools. Examples of this emphasis include the expectation that teachers of religious education gain accreditation in the subject and the application of gospel values across the curriculum in programs such as "Sense of the Sacred" (D'Orsa et al, 1995).
This said there remain some questions relating to the overall rationale for Catholic schools. Chesterton and Johnston (1997) ask a number of crucial questions about Catholic schools: Has the expectations and purpose of Catholic schools changed since they were esatblished ? According to Quillinan and Ryan (1994) our expectations and desired outcomes for Catholic schools are in a state of flux. Who are the appropriate clientele for Catholic schools? Catholic education because of the upward moblity it has enabled is looking increasingly "middle class" thereby challenging Catholic school communities to maintain a preferential option for the poor. Some commentators believe the fee structure of Catholic schools is a major reason why many Catholic families do not choose a Catholic school (Furtado, 1997). In fact 50% of the Catholic population is in State schools suggesting the delivery of Catholic education for young people goes beyond Catholic schooling.
In their research into the beliefs and practices of Catholics Britt et al (1988) commented about the selective Catholicism and religious pluralism evident in the Catholic population a decade ago. They had a similiar observation to make about teachers in Catholic schools based on years of observation and research. In the view of these researchers, it would be very rare to have a staff where all Catholic teachers were completely orthodox in matters of Catholic doctrine, morals and religious practice.
These observations are consistent with Flynn's (1993) research findings in Catholic schools. In the open ended responses a number of teachers drew attention to the lack of commitment amongst some Catholic staff. In the questionnaire items there was only 44% agreement in Flynn's sample to a statement that Catholic teachers set an example of what it means to be a practising Catholic. These findings suggest there is deviation from orthodoxy among teachers in Catholic schools as perceived by some staff and students. The climate of religious and cultural change described in the preceeding section is likely to heighten these perceptions of deviation from the norm. Given the range in age, life experience and religious and faith development among staff in Catholic schools, it is understandable that different perceptions would exist in relation to religious orthodoxy. The issue of individual differences among staff who participated in programs is acknowledged and will be further explored in this research.
Flynn's research over many years provides some data on the religious influence of teachers over time. Flynn's 1993 research findings shows students perceptions of the influence of teachers on their religious development has declined over two decades.
Research on the faith sponsorship of adolescents also yielded data on the influence of teacher as faith mentors or adult role models. On a questionnaire item very few students chose their teacher as faith mentor a finding supported in the interviews with students (Leavey et al, 1992). These researchers offer a comment about the lack of mentoring by teachers in Catholic schools suggesting that the busy routines of schools makes the establishment of mentoring relationships difficult. It is interesting to note in passing that retreat experiences away from the routines of school provide better opportunities for mentoring relationships especially where teachers interact at a personal and faith sharing level with students. Certainly the question of time and teachers work is particularly relevant to this study. Few practitioners would disagree with Hargreaves contention that the demands of teaching have changed profoundly over the years including an increase in the intensification of teachers work (Hargreaves, 1994). The day to day routines of the teachers who participated in the research and the time constraints they experience will emerge in the course of the research. .
Rationale for the study
Leavey's and Flynn's findings in relation to teachers in Catholic schools suggest the need for further research. The use of quantitative methods should at least be supported by qualitative research especially since the uncertainty of meanings and perceptions is relevant to the reliabilty of survey instruments. Questionnaire findings which reveal poor levels of religious commitment may be more a reflection of the limitations of the participants language, perceptions and understandings. Previous comments on orthodoxy could be extended to familiarity with orthodox language.
The high demand for teacher development programs such as Wellsprings which has catered for hundreds of staff over the years highlights the genuine need for spiritual development among teachers. Catholic schools can be and in many cases are important agencies of adult spiritual development and expression. Individual schools are supported in the delivery of staff programs by Catholic Education Offices. The Parramatta diocese has invested considerable resources in this area of teacher development since 1990. Informal feedback on these programs is generally positive though structured research is needed to explore and illuminate the impact of these spiritual development experiences in the lives of teachers.
The context of change in the Church and post modern religious and cultural trends provide a challenging context for educators within Catholic schools. Contemporary phenomenon such as new age spiritualities and the new cosmology need to be understood by educators within the Catholic tradition. While orthodoxy may have been a characteristic in the Church and among teachers, it would seem that there are now many ways to be Catholic and many ways to be religious. Whatever the Catholic school sets out to achieve it would seem essential that the teachers bear a responsibilty for allowing young people access to the cultural religious heritage and tradition (Crawford and Rossiter, 1993) and that the school has sufficient adult role models who are religiously mature while at the same time orthodox in their beliefs and practices (Britt et al, 1988). In the light of predominantly lay presence in Catholic schools an understanding of teaching as a ministry needs further exploration.
The centrality of the role of the teacher is clearly stated in the religious mission of Catholc schools. The challenges of these new times for teachers in Catholic schools makes qualitative research important. The experience of the program in Parramatta provides a window into the personal domain of teachers. As they articulate their perceptions on the experience and impact of the program, they also reveal aspects of their own life journey.
Research methodology
In attempting to understand the impact of a program on the lives of teachers it was necessary to establish a methodology which would allow individuals to speak freely about the experience and impact of a program and if possible share at a level which provided insight into an individuals spiritual/ faith domain and their work in a Catholic school. The three focus questions are:
1) Experience of the program- Recall the experience of the program, what were some memorable aspects?
2) Impact of the program- Describe any impact of the experience on yourself and on your day to day work in Catholic schools.
3) Future needs- What future or ongoing support/ program would you find beneficial?
The methodology being utilised to gather this data is a focus group structure. A description and rationale for the use of focus groups follows.
The focus group is a qualitative research method in the social sciences involving a group of around 8 participants, facilitated by a moderator who guides the group through the investigation of a focus area by group discussion. There is an established literature on the methodolgy of focus groups which is based mainly on market research. It is increasingly being recognised within social science research as a valuable method to collect qualitative data (Knodel, 1995).
Focus groups take advantage of group dynamics where evolving relations can be a stimulus to elaboration and expression. Individuals can become clearer about their own views after hearing other participants (and identifying the degree to which what they are hearing fits their situation), it can provide a greater depth of understanding about the field context. The interaction in focus groups often creates a cuing phenomenon that has the potential for extracting more information than other methods. The main advantage focus groups offer is the opportunity for a large amount of interaction on a particular topic in a relatively short period of time (Morgan, 1988; Stewart & Shamdasani, 1990).
When little is known about a particular subject or a certain phenomenon it is appropriate to use focus groups. Consequently focus group methodology is appropriate at the beginning of a research project-where the enquiry is exploratory. (Stewart & Shamdasani, 1990). The strength of focus groups from a procedural point of view is there ability to explore topics and generate hypothesis.
Focus group methodology is useful when investigating complex behaviour and motivation and can be a valuable research tool when the topic of the research is such that people normally do not discuss it openly or are not used to articulating their feelings, motivations attitudes and opinions on the subject. Focus groups can be used to discuss controversial topics eg: Knodel's work on family planning (Knodel et al, 1984).
In contrast to other research methods, focus groups provide data from a group of people more quickly than individual interviews. Focus groups allow respondents to react and build upon the responses of other group members. This synergised effect of the group setting may result in the production of data or ideas that might not have been uncovered in individual interviews (Stewart and Shamdasani, 1990). In individual interviews the interviewer controls the agenda whereas unpredictable insights and comments may emerge in the group dynamic. There is threfore a greater emphasis on participants points of view.
Morgan notes that the relatively higher level of researcher control over interaction in individual interviewing translates into a comparative advantage in managing what data are collected. The data collected from focus groups can be difficult to summarise and manage and contain unwanted material. (Morgan, 1988).
In contrast to surveys the researcher interacts directly with the respondents, allowing opportunities for the clarification of responses, for follow up questions and probing for more information. The researcher can obtain deeper levels of meaning, make important connections and identify subtle nuances in expression and meaning which would be otherwise not possible in survey research.
The results of focus groups are easy to understand i.e the verbal responses of most respondents can be understood. Focus groups may be one of the few research tools for obtaining data from children or from individuals who are not particularly literate. The method can provide 'voice' to groups who may not ordinarily have access to established forms of expression and communication.
Unlike participant observation which is in the natural setting, the social setting of the focus group is essentially unnatural. As Morgan observes: when there is a premium on the naturalistic abilty to observe group behaviour and this is readily available participant observation would be preferred over focus groups (Morgan, 1988).
The advantage of the focus group on the other hand is focus groups can generate a concentrated set of interactions in a relatively short period of time. Similiar interactions in the natural setting may be difficult to observe or not significant in quantity on the topic of interest.
Focus groups are events that have a life of their own- they occur in settings where the processes of interpersonal communication and social influences are significant Contributions from communication researchers (Albrecht et al, 1995) demonstrate how the interaction dynamics taking place in focus groups can hinder or facilitate the quality of data which is generated. Communication can be understood as a transactional, dynamic and non-linear process which can influence all individuals within a group, can be verbal and non verbal and may affect person's feelings about themselves, the state of relationships and future messages.
The methodology of focus groups has a degree of external validity given the tendency for people to discuss ideas and issues in groups. It could be said that personal opinions are derived through communication with others rather than by 'individual information gathering'. The formation and articulation of opinions are influenced by three factors according to Kelman (1961) who developed what Albrecht et al refer to as "a now classic model of the process of opinion giving".
According to Kelman opinions are produced by one of three processes: compliance, identification and internalisation. Each type of communication pattern can be seen in focus group interaction and can be seen as a potential threat to the internal validity of the focus group data.
Compliance refers to responses which are believed to be ones expected by the questioner, in anticipation of some early reward (such as the early conclusion of the focus group). The moderator in this case needs to be able to recognise compliant responses and probe further to avoid superficial opinions.
Identification refers to responses which 'identify' with the responses made by a group member who is admired, whose opinions are valued, or who is perceived to be attractive. The moderator of the focus group may intentionally or unintentionally signal their own bias and others in the group may identify with the viewpoint perceived to be held by the moderator. Opinions developed by identification are also likely if members of the focus group are in work related superior/ subordinate relationships with each other.
A third type of opinion formulation (internalisation) is based on opinions developed by individuals and deeply held. Such opinions are less prone to the effects of social interaction or perceived rewards, potentially the most valuable though the most difficult to obtain. The key challenge for the moderator of focus groups therefore is to facilitate internalised opinions.
In this research project the focus questions provide opportunities for participants to speak at a personal level. Internalised opinions are essential and while the dynamics of the group should provide cuing, responses made by identification with others are possible. The moderators role is to probe further in cases where identification appears an issue. The fact that the focus group participants have had a common experience and each is participating voluntarily in the research under no coersion suggests that identification should not be common.
An important role for the moderators is to provide an appropriate, supportive environment. Time is allowed for informal conversation and visual stimuli is provided to assist recall of experience. Before beginning a group participants are invited to reflect in writing on the three focus questions.
Research limitations
The limitations of the study are recognised in the methodology adopted. The samples of participants who have taken part in the focus group sessions are a fraction of the teaching population in the diocese making generalizabilty invalid. With the exception of focus groups conducted in school settings, the sample also represent individuals who have volunteered for Wellsprings and then the focus groups and are therefore likely to have some degree of allegiance and commitment to their work in Catholic schools. This said, the research does not intend to be far reaching in scope or sample size, rather it probes and explores a complex and important area in Catholic Education with a limited sample.
Sample selection and framework
Sample constituency will take note of differences among the teacher participants in age, experience, gender, primary or secondary school. One variable factor is the date the program was completed-i.e how recent is the experience for teachers? Given the long running nature of programs such as "Wellsprings" it is possible to select participants from earlier programs or from more recent programs. Another consideration is the selection of participants from the same program or different programs. The dynamics of the focus group are likely to be different in each case given that those from the same program would already have established a level of rapport and trust.
While most of the focus groups will be conducted away from the school setting in a central location, some of the groups will be conducted in selected school settings- some schools have seen as a priorty the involvement of teachers on Wellsprings so that the majority of staff have completed the program.
The selection of pilot group participants has been by invitation and depended on the availabilty of participants. These groups have been conducted after school hours and relied largely on the good will of the participants. In the main study it is proposed to conduct the focus groups during school hours with support from principals and the CEO and to incorporate sample selection criteria eg: balance the numbers of primary and secondary teachers, ensure a spread of experience and age in each group or run groups with clusters of each category separately.
Pilot focus groups data analysis
The transcripts from 5 pilot focus groups have been typed and preliminary data analysis is being carried out using NU*DIST ( 1997). NUD*IST is a computer program designed to assist in the processing of Nonnumerical, Unstructured Data in qualitative research using the tools of Indexing, Searching and Theorising.
Each of the focus group transcripts is stored as a data document with numbered text units. An indexing system is developed with definitions of emerging categories within the transcripts. The index system is tree structured allowing each category to be subdivided as new information appears.
In response to the first question which invites participants to describe the experience of the program the following categories are emerging in the classification of responses in focus groups:
* Age/maturity related perceptions
*Experience of community
*Experience of liturgy
*Quality of input on contemporary church and theology
*Personal affirmation
*Sharing of experiences
*Expectations beforehand
In response to the second question inviting a response to the impact of the program the following tentative categories are emerging in the pilot groups:
*personal faith and practice
*renewal in thinking and beliefs
*practical strategies with students
*empowerement
Future research objectives
As the data gathering continues in the main study, the above categories will be defined and clarified and sub categories added to the index system.
The criteria of selection for a teacher development program in the present study is that the program sets out directly or indirectly to enhance the capacity of the participant to contribute to the religious mission and ethos of the Catholic school. The methodology will be applied to other programs provided in the diocese for teachers. In particular there is a course offered for experienced principals known as ELIM which will provide an interesting contrast to data emerging from programs such as Wellsprings which presently caters for a fairly broad range of teachers in terms of experience and age.
The Parramatta CEO in conjunction with ACU also run Religious Education courses leading to accreditation. It is intended to include an RE course in the research to provide a range of teacher development courses.
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