Papers by Pooja Dharamshi
Routledge eBooks, Feb 16, 2024
AERA Online Paper Repository, Apr 29, 2017
Proceedings of the 2022 AERA Annual Meeting
Proceedings of the 2022 AERA Annual Meeting
Proceedings of the 2019 AERA Annual Meeting
This paper examines the practices and pedagogies of six literacy teacher educators with a critica... more This paper examines the practices and pedagogies of six literacy teacher educators with a critical stance. Using the first dimension of the critical literacy framework (Lewison et al., 2008), Disrupting the Commonplace, the literacy teacher educators’ practices and pedagogies are analyzed and unpacked. This dimension of critical literacy practices focuses on seeing the everyday through a new lens, including our routines, habits, beliefs, and theories (Lewison et al., 2008). In particular, it requires “a step outside of one’s usual modes of perception and comprehension using new frames to understand experience” (p. 8). The six participants actualize a critical stance in their courses by using an expansive definition of literacy; presenting opportunities for their student teachers to unlearn; and integrating popular culture and media into their curriculum. The literacy teacher educators placed issues of equity at the core of their courses; they worked tirelessly to expand student teac...
This study investigated the backgrounds, visions, practices, and pedagogies of six literacy teach... more This study investigated the backgrounds, visions, practices, and pedagogies of six literacy teacher educators with a critical stance. In this qualitative research study, three semistructured interviews were conducted with each participant over a three-year period. Several significant findings emerged from this research study. First, the early life experiences of the literacy teacher educators significantly affected them, and as a result, directly influenced their stance as literacy teacher educators. Their early schooling experiences, which revealed to them how intertwined socio-political issues were in the roles of teaching and learning, influenced their practice as literacy teacher educators. Second, the literacy teacher educators with a critical stance held broad and expansive definitions of literacy. These definitions transcended traditional notions of literacy such as literacy as a set of autonomous skills (e.g., reading, writing) to include expansive notions of literacy including out of school literacy practices such as home literacies and community literacies. The literacy teacher educators modeled valuing expansive conceptions of literacy by including a wide range of texts in their courses, including: videos, blogs, spoken word, spaces (e.g., transit), and children's and young adolescent literature. Third, exploring issues of equity in a deliberate manner was a iii strategy to help student teachers appreciate the complexity of education and arrive at the understanding that literacy and schooling are not neutral practices. Implications for literacy teacher education courses include incorporating a range of texts and genres, which model expansive understandings of literacy, while modeling for student teachers how to effectively integrate them into literacy teaching. Implications for pre-service teacher education programs include building partnerships in the community including both traditional (e.g., schools) and non-traditional (e.g., community centres) learning spaces. Implications for future research include exploring how literacy teacher educators use the affordance of digital technologies to enact a critical stance in their teacher education courses.
Studying Teacher Education, 2020
This article explores the critical digital practices and pedagogies of two novice teacher educato... more This article explores the critical digital practices and pedagogies of two novice teacher educators. Employing self-study research methodologies, we examine our collaborations and integrations of critical digital practices into two literacy methods teacher education courses. Seeking to emphasize the 'critical' aspects of critical digital literacies, we coplanned and designed learning opportunities, which deliberately considered social, cultural, and ethical issues related to learning with and from digital technologies. Data were collected from the memos and shared on-line reflections recorded from our weekly meetings over the course of four months. This self-study helped us to understand our conceptualizations and enactments of critical digital pedagogies for teacher education. We developed a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges present when integrating critical digital texts into the curriculum. The planning, ongoing reflection and revisions of the course were meaningful, however, were time-consuming in nature. We argue this work should not be left solely to teacher educators; rather, teacher preparation programs must play a larger role in preparing and supporting teacher educators with both the technical and pedagogical know-how of meaningfully designing and integrating critical digital practices into their courses.
FIRE: Forum for International Research in Education, 2019
This paper reports findings from a study examining pre-service teachers’ perceptions of Indigenei... more This paper reports findings from a study examining pre-service teachers’ perceptions of Indigeneity and literacy in a literacy teacher education course. In 2015, the new British Columbia K-9 curriculum was implemented with a focus on integrating Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum in thoughtful and meaningful ways. This includes an emphasis on exploring the histories, experiences, values and knowledge associated with Indigenous ways of life (Deer, 2013, p. 177). As a result, teacher preparation programs have been called on to rethink the ways in which they prepare future teachers. Pre-service teachers were invited to write critical reflections following multiple curricular activities which aimed at bringing attention to Indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing in a language arts context. The journal entried demonstrated pre-service teachers developed broadened conceptions of literacy as a practice, refined their pedagogies, and demonstrated emerging confidence in integrat...
Teaching and Teacher Education, 2019
h i g h l i g h t s Direct connections between the LTEs' early life experiences and their current... more h i g h l i g h t s Direct connections between the LTEs' early life experiences and their current practice. Developed broadened conceptions of literacy teaching and learning. Understood in and out of school literacy practices as equally important to the meaning making process.
Dean S Graduate Student Research Conference 2012, Jan 30, 2012
Using the medium of audio, we narrate our experiences of growing up as South Asian women in a tra... more Using the medium of audio, we narrate our experiences of growing up as South Asian women in a transitioning city, from suburban to urban. The purpose of A (Canadian) Story Worth Telling is to contribute to the discussion around Canadian multiculturalism. This audio presentation unpacks ideas, practices and their implications around Canadian multiculturalism, including food-and-festival celebrations, codes of power, and streaming. The practice of food-and-festival celebrations has become a debated practice in schools due to its tokenistic nature. The effect of the discourse of multiculturalism in education can inadvertently lead to a colour-blind attitude that is often reflected in pre-service teacher education programs. Such an attitude neglects to discuss the importance of existing codes of power, the understanding of which is inherently linked with student success. The practice of streaming is one of the implications of how Canadian multiculturalism is interpreted within education.
Proceedings of the 2019 AERA Annual Meeting
International Research, Policy and Practice in Teacher Education, 2019
This chapter reports on a study of 28 literacy/English teacher educators in 4 countries (Canada, ... more This chapter reports on a study of 28 literacy/English teacher educators in 4 countries (Canada, the USA, Australia, and England) with a focus on their use of digital technology. For analyzing the data, we used Ottenbreit-Leftwich et al.’s (2010) six different ways to incorporate technology into teacher education: information delivery, hands-on skill-building activities, practice in the field, observations and modeling, authentic experiences, and reflections (p. 20). Although most felt using digital technology in teacher education is very important, there were huge differences in how they used it. A few reconceptualized their courses to teach about, with, and through it, while others only used it mainly for information delivery. Two major challenges identified by most were that their university only provided limited support and mostly for technical problems (not pedagogical support) and that student teachers were not necessarily discerning users of resources on the web.
The Research in Teacher Education publication is published twice a year by the School of Educatio... more The Research in Teacher Education publication is published twice a year by the School of Education and Communities, University of East London, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ. The periodical offers a forum for informed debate and discussion on all aspects of teacher education. The publication showcases work from the teacher education teams at the School of Education and Communities and the wider teacher education community in the UK. The definition of 'research', in its broadest sense includes any gathering of data, information and 'facts' designed to advance knowledge. While nurturing and publicising the creative talent within teacher education the periodical seeks to stimulate, provoke and extend discussion and debate with other professionals associated with this field. In addition to contributions from the team of teacher educators at the School, each edition of Research in Teacher Education will publish research findings, book reviews and/or opinion pieces from guest ...
This chapter presents the findings from a study of 28 literacy/English teacher educators (LTEs) i... more This chapter presents the findings from a study of 28 literacy/English teacher educators (LTEs) in four countries (Canada, U.S., England, and Australia). Three interviews were conducted and course syllabi were examined. The study found that LTEs draw on three sets of experiences in developing and delivering their courses: pivotal early childhood events, classroom teaching experiences, and research work. Their courses reflect their values and experiences; they teach who they are. However, the increasing interference by governments in teacher education programs is having an impact on them. Surveillance by governments is undermining their identity as autonomous professionals. Externally imposed requirements (e.g., edTPA in U.S.) are compromising the integrity of their courses. The LTEs’ workload is increasing because they must prepare for frequent external inspections (e.g., OFSTED in England). As a result, many are feeling highly discouraged and concerned that their courses are not pr...
Education Sciences, 2020
This paper reports on a qualitative research study that examined how 10 literacy teacher educator... more This paper reports on a qualitative research study that examined how 10 literacy teacher educators (LTEs) utilized children’s literature to invite teacher trainees to critically engage with social issues, challenge their assumptions about literacy, and begin to develop the knowledge and dispositions to work alongside diverse learners (e.g., culturally, linguistically, socio-economically). The LTEs recognized that teacher trainees often entered their literacy courses with restricted conceptions of literacy and deficit assumptions about children from economically marginalized and/or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Within their courses, the LTEs positioned literacy as a multifaceted social practice, wherein access to a variety of representational resources facilitates the active construction of knowledge and identities. The LTEs modeled instructional strategies and designed assignments that encouraged teacher trainees to use children’s literature as a means to connec...
European Journal of Teacher Education, 2020
Given the intense politicisation of education, many teacher educators are caught in the cross-hai... more Given the intense politicisation of education, many teacher educators are caught in the cross-hairs of government's reform agendas, university expectations and student teacher needs. This paper reports on a study of 28 literacy teacher educators in four countries (Canada, US, Australia and England). This paper reports on the broad question: How is politics affecting literacy teacher educators? Three specific aspects are considered: their pedagogies, identity and well-being. It describes how their pedagogy (goals and teaching strategies) has narrowed because of mandated curriculum and exit exams. It shows how their identity as academics is being complicated because they often do not have time for their research. And their well-being is compromised because of excessive external inspections and as their community in the university splinters.
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Papers by Pooja Dharamshi