Rebecca Donya 18010086

Assessment 1 Researching Teaching and Learning

A study was conducted to solve the issue faced by many teachers first entering their
occupation to determine, how teachers can maintain their position through strategies such as
resilience and adaptive functions. The article was constructed by Terry Bowles and Jessica L.
Arnup titled, Early Career Teachers’ Resilience and Positive Adaptive Change Capabilities.
(2016) Bowles and Arup explore the strategies long service teachers use to improve their
adjustability and how these methods can help new service teachers implement within their
classrooms so they are able to uphold their careers. They both conduct a research that has
been previously completed, explicitly stated within their abstract. The case study monitored a
variety of participants, from all sorts of schools, independent, Catholic or government across
Early education, primary and secondary type of teachers. This essay will review sections of
the case study, targeting the methodology, the results and the conclusion. A further evaluation
will establish a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the mixed methods
(qualitative, quantitative) used within the article, with the inclusion of numerous sources.

Method
The methodology was portioned into each factor identified from the topic being discussed;
participants, measures, resilience, adaptive change and procedure. The methodology
productively answers the question; the relationship between resilience and adaptability.
This essentially creates gaps in the data collected. All participants within the sample were
expected to answer a questionnaire to provide background information. Furthermore, the
recruited participants were chosen based on the snowball technique, which some may argue
that such samples have problem areas that include, “verifying the eligibility of potential
respondents.” (Biernacki et al., 1981) Qualitative data is also gathered through the method
named, K means of clustering. Such a technique is also argued to have issues including, “the
requirement of predefined number of clusters in the dataset.” (Abubaker et al., 2013)
Therefore, this technique is compared to an estimation, creating an inaccurate measure to
define the problem at hand. On the other hand, Bowles and Arnup effectively covered a
questionnaire based on resilience and adaptive change. Both surveys attempt to cover all
aspects of the teaching area, assessing the emotions and actions of humans (Shank et al.,
2014) to come to a definite response to their question proposed. These surveys covered the
eight factors of adaptability; openness to opportunity, visualisation, planning, action, closure,
social support, negative emotions and inner drive. (Bowles et al., 2016, p. 153) Furthermore,
breaking down these elements by categorising them into three individual personality profiles,
to increase precision of examination. (Mishra et al., 2017)
Multiple uses of data
Focuses on all aspects negative/positive teachers experience
Used questionnaire to find source of problem
Rebecca Donya 18010086

Participants were interviewed just had online survey 160/198 completed may be sampling
bias- talk on behalf of all teachers, also majority female 85% sample size is small.

Results
This section effectively outlined arising issues that were previously overlooked in the
methodology. The results discuss the grouping of each teacher and why they were part of
each group; stabilisers, adaptors and innovators. An implementation of quantitative data was
revealed to show a comparison of each group. (Bowles et al., 2016, p. 154-5) The analysis of
resilient teachers is directed through scientific emphasis that reveal the correlation of each
factor explored and what each group consists of being part of to increase resilience. Thus,
attempting to apply a practical theory, as the authors inherent similar results with other
resources through their graphs. (Bowles et al., 2016, p. 157) This segment compellingly
compared its findings to a previous article highlighting comparable findings. The outcomes
being positively integrated emphasising the correlation between resilience and adaptive
functioning. The results section emphasised only a positive connection between the two
products and also articulated understanding of each group that constantly presented their
factors. This section remained brief, although the authors had the ability to articulate
solutions in response to their thesis.

Conclusion
The introduction and conclusion, simultaneously discusses the before and after implications
of each product. However, the research could have been improved if the authors had also
discussed how constant student misbehaviour can also influence early career teachers’
decision to leave their position. Hoigaard (2012) explores a deeper reasoning in comparison
to Bowle’s perspective of the eight factors of adaptability. Thus, further discusses that the
regular positive results often received raises concerns to the research conducted. Most
teachers being identified as adaptors to resilience although many abandoning their position.
This proposal is strengthened with the outcomes received from this study, particularly, the
positive attitudes received from teachers claiming they are easily flexible to variations they
face. The conclusion highlights the need for resilience within the work environment, unless
there is a notion of constant pressure and stress. Therefore, encompassing both sides of
resilience and adaptability. On the other hand, the research could have been improved if a
notion of the use of resilience and adaptability was further explained. Also, the detail of the
information became weakened in comparison to previous studies. (Holanhan et al., 1999)
furthermore, if more research was conducted rather than quoting himself from previous
articles would have shown higher credibility.

Conclusion
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Bowles et. Al, has clearly shown resourcefulness to answer their raised question; What is the
relationship between resilience and adaptability? The approach was quite intriguing and
provided consistent results with previous articles, however remained brief. The use of mixed
methods approach created a deeper understanding. However, there were still gaps with the
research conducted. Sampling bias was also formed generalising the data, highlighting the
inconsistency. The dependent variables were included; the stabilisers, innovators and
adaptors. They were then compared to the eight factors of adaptability, independent variables
that enhanced Bowles research and results.

This article was difficult to comprehend and analyse. Many problems included attempting to
identify the gaps
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References
Abubaker, M., & Ashour, W. (2013). Efficient data clustering algorithms:
Improvements over Kmeans. International Journal of Intelligent
Systems and Applications, 5(3), 37.
Biernacki, P., & Waldorf, D. (1981). Snowball sampling: Problems and techniques
of Chain Referral Sampling. Sociological Methods & Research, 10(2), 141-163.
Bowles, T., & Arnup, J. L. (2016). Early Career Teachers’ Resilience and Positive
Adaptive Change Capabilities. The Australian Educational Researcher,
43(2), 147-164.
Høigaard, R., Giske, R., & Sundsli, K. (2012). Newly Qualified Teachers’ Work
Engagement and Teacher Efficacy Influences on Job Satisfaction, Burnout,
and the Intention to Quit. European Journal of Teacher Education, 35(3), 347-357.
Mishra, P., & McDonald, K. (2017). Career Resilience: An Integrated
Review of the Empirical Literature. Human Resource Development Review,
16(3), 207-234.
Shank, G., Brown, L., & Pringle, J. (2014). Understanding Education Research: A
Guide to Critical Reading. London, Routledge