Embarking on a West-East Reciprocal Learning Journey: A Narrative Inquiry into Generalist and Specialist Teaching Models

This narrative inquiry, situated within Xu and Connelly’s SSHRC Partnership Grant Project, has two purposes: (1) understanding the strengths of the generalist teaching model in Canadian elementary schools and the specialist teaching model in Chinese elementary schools in mathematics education, and (2) investigating what can be reciprocally learned in terms of curriculum and pedagogies for teachers who adopt these two teaching models. The research fieldwork has focused on one Canadian generalist teacher and one Chinese math specialist with one Canadian principal and one Chinese principal as supplementary participants. The field texts (data) collection methods include artefact collection, participant observation and one-on-one interviews. The study identifies the strengths of the Canadian generalist and Chinese specialist teaching models within their sociocultural and historical contexts and explores potential reciprocal learning opportunities. This study can offer insights for both generalist and specialist teachers to reflect on their teaching practices within their respective teaching models and potentially enhance their teaching practices based on their local contexts. The University of Windsor and Beijing Foreign Studies University stand to benefit from this project by gaining insights into teacher education program reform and strengthening their established research partnership.

Faculty Supervisor:

Shijing Xu

Student:

Partner:

Beijing Foreign Studies University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Windsor

Program: