Just what and how eight experienced teachers in four coaching dyads learned during a 1-year reciprocal peer coaching trajectory was examined in the present study. The learning processes were mapped by providing a detailed description of reported learning activities, reported learning outcomes, and the relations between these two. The sequences of learning activities associated with a particular type of learning outcome were next selected, coded, and analyzed using a variety of quantitative methods. The different activity sequences undertaken by the teachers during a reciprocal peer coaching trajectory were found to trigger different aspects of their professional development.
This paper reports on a case study into reciprocal learning in two tutor groups as part of a master's degree programme in special education. Reciprocal learning means that all members of the group, both students and teachers, learn from each other; however, the question is how and to what extent can reciprocal learning take shape, especially in an educational setting where the actors have different responsibilities. Data were gathered using a combination of methods and more than one source (triangulation) and a member check was performed on the whole cohort. The respondents reported that reciprocal learning in the tutor groups can improve the quality of learning for all participants. The extent to which this occurred appeared to be dependent on the expectations they had beforehand or the expectations they developed during the course of the research project. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that paying explicit attention to reciprocal learning can have positive benefits for the quality of a course.
Just what and how eight experienced teachers in four coaching dyads learned during a 1-year reciprocal peer coaching trajectory was examined in the present study. The learning processes were mapped by providing a detailed description of reported learning activities, reported learning outcomes, and the relations between these two. The sequences of learning activities associated with a particular type of learning outcome were next selected, coded, and analyzed using a variety of quantitative methods. The different activity sequences undertaken by the teachers during a reciprocal peer coaching trajectory were found to trigger different aspects of their professional development.
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