Critical perspectives on teachers and teaching: an appreciative examination

Abstract

With increasing levels of teacher accountability, more knowledge and an understanding of student achievement in reading, writing and scientific knowledge, educators and school leaders are confronted by the pace of change in the twenty-first century and the educational disruption of COVID-19. The aim of this chapter was to provide an overview of significant international forces considered in this book and an overview of the conceptual framework of appreciative inquiry. By adopting a practitioner-researcher perspective, we considered the problem of how to strengthen educational outcomes considering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment results. While controversy abounds in the interpretation and education policy responses to trends in these surveys, there is a body of evidence about the roles teachers and teaching play in enhancing educational outcomes. Finally, we contend because of the appreciative approach; the book is new knowledge on enhancing educational outcomes essential for developing a well-educated population.