TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancing inclusion through the collective activity of collaboration
T2 - a cultural historical activity theory perspective
AU - Anastasiou, Elena
AU - Hajisoteriou, Christina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - This research study focuses on how teachers experience, negotiate and resolve tensions through the collaboration with other teachers and members of staff and the factors which may influence, support or undermine their role as inclusive teachers. For the purposes of this study, we drew upon Cultural Historical Activity Theory framework to examine the interconnectedness of the factors that may influence teachers’ collaborative activities. We used Cyprus as our case study to explore the collective activity of collaboration (or lack of) between teachers and other members of staff in the school system. Research data revealed that teachers are increasingly aware of the value the collaboration with other teachers as a means to achieve inclusion more successfully. However, a number of factors including professional factors and contextual factors such as increased workload, lack of additional personnel in classrooms, curriculum demands and home-school relationship were found to create tensions in the activity of collaboration and consequently to affect the implementation of inclusion in the school system.
AB - This research study focuses on how teachers experience, negotiate and resolve tensions through the collaboration with other teachers and members of staff and the factors which may influence, support or undermine their role as inclusive teachers. For the purposes of this study, we drew upon Cultural Historical Activity Theory framework to examine the interconnectedness of the factors that may influence teachers’ collaborative activities. We used Cyprus as our case study to explore the collective activity of collaboration (or lack of) between teachers and other members of staff in the school system. Research data revealed that teachers are increasingly aware of the value the collaboration with other teachers as a means to achieve inclusion more successfully. However, a number of factors including professional factors and contextual factors such as increased workload, lack of additional personnel in classrooms, curriculum demands and home-school relationship were found to create tensions in the activity of collaboration and consequently to affect the implementation of inclusion in the school system.
KW - Collaboration
KW - cultural Historical Activity Theory
KW - inclusion
KW - inclusive practice
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106781335&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02671522.2020.1849368
DO - 10.1080/02671522.2020.1849368
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85106781335
SN - 0267-1522
JO - Research Papers in Education
JF - Research Papers in Education
ER -