Decomposition and recomposition in training novice teachers

About this research

Breaking down sequences of teaching into constituent practices is thought to make learning to teach more manageable for novice teachers. However, it also risks leaving teachers unsure as to when or why to use a specific practice. Putting practices back together into new, meaningful sequences may help teachers learn when to use a certain technique, not just how to use it. This research looks at whether breaking down (decomposing) and then recombining teaching practices into a different sequence of teaching (recomposition) can help teachers apply what they have learnt to new contexts.

We used a classroom simulator experiment to test this theory. Trainee teachers received feedback (including modelling and practice) from a teacher educator. One group received decomposed and then recomposed feedback, and a second group received feedback on one whole, continuous sequence of teaching.

Findings

This study provides the first causal evidence that decomposing and then recomposing teaching practice can help teachers adaptively transfer practices to new classroom scenarios. We found that decomposition-then-recomposition was superior to a more holistic approach, and helped novice teachers adaptively transfer their teaching practices to a novel context. The findings are consistent with the idea that recomposition is complementary to decomposition, which has implications for the design of early career teacher development.

Read the research

Read a summary of our findings for educators: Summary for educators

Read the findings in full: Full research report

Cite this paper

Banks, B., Sims, S., Curran, J., Meliss, S., Chowdhury, N., Altunbas, H. G., Alexandri, N., MacTavish, L., & Instone, I. (2024). Decomposition and recomposition: effects on novice teachers’ enactment and transfer of behaviour management practices. Ambition Institute. Available at: https://www.ambition.org.uk/research-decomposition-and-recomposition/