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Woodford, M, 2025. Exploring a dialectic professional development programme through the experiences of secondary mathematics teachers: a reflexive thematic analysis. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.
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Abstract
Teacher professional development contributes to shaping an education system and to a nation’s economic competitiveness. However, the desire for conformity in professional development risks leaving some teachers feeling pedagogically confused, disappointed in the compromises they make to their beliefs, and frustrated at the practices they are asked to adopt.
In this study I suggest an emerging specification for mathematics Dialectic Professional Development (DPD) which is characterised by the philosophical concept of contradiction. I design an example mathematics DPD programme and interpret it through the lens of contradiction using a qualitative case study approach. In seeking to gain greater insight into mathematics DPD, I draw on insights from three secondary school mathematics teachers in the East Midlands of England who participated in my programme over one academic year. These insights, in the form of completed programme documents and semi-structured interviews are then interpreted through Reflexive Thematic Analysis.
As a result of my study, I suggest contradiction can be used to interpret beliefs about mathematics education as interdependent, moments of variation as acts of self-sabotage, and belief trajectories as showing journeys not destinations. These themes suggest beliefs about mathematics education are contradictory, professional development programmes should include moments of variation, and that teachers determine the direction of their professional learning. I conclude that mathematics DPD offers a structured approach for mathematics teachers to not only develop new practices but to also understand their response to these new practices.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Creators: | Woodford, M. |
| Contributors: | Name Role NTU ID ORCID |
| Date: | February 2025 |
| Rights: | This copyright in this work is held by the author. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed to the author. |
| Divisions: | Schools > School of Social Sciences |
| Record created by: | Jonathan Gallacher |
| Date Added: | 19 Nov 2025 12:24 |
| Last Modified: | 19 Nov 2025 12:24 |
| URI: | https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/54777 |
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5066-134XActions (login required)
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