THE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL NATURE OF TEACHER COGNITION: THE CASE OF EFL TEACHERS

Date

2024-7

Author

Utku Bilici, Özlem

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Teacher cognition is an umbrella phenomenon that comprises what teachers think, know, believe, and perceive. Thus, it can be noted that this abstract notion is concerned with the unobservable dimension of teaching, and in this vein, it requires elaborate attention because it cannot be directly observed or tested. Several studies have been conducted to throw light on the varied facets and ingredients of the concept of teacher cognition, and they unitedly put a special emphasis on the critical importance of comprehending the constituents of teacher cognition in maximising student learning and improving teachers’ professional development process. However, the related literature illustrates that the number of studies focusing on the experiential components of teacher cognition is relatively scarce. In this connection, the current study aims at examining the constituents of teacher cognition by centring on the experiential facets of teacher cognition for EFL teachers, working at public schools in Turkey. Six in-service female EFL teachers participated in the present research, and the data were collected through varied data collection tools, including semi-structured interviews, real classroom observations, think-aloud protocols, documents, and weekly reflective journals. Besides, the analysis was performed via the constant comparative data analysis method. The findings demonstrated that the participants’ prior language learning encounters, undergraduate education incidents, and professional teaching experiences have had a substantial impact on the formation and maturation of their teacher cognition. Consequently, it is argued that teacher cognition is a comprehensive conceptualisation that occupy a fundamental role in enhancing teachers’ pedagogical competencies, perceptions, and attitudes.

Subject Keywords

Language Teacher Cognition, EFL Teachers, Multiple Instrumental Case Study

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/110117

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis