Cognitively activating teaching, known for its effectiveness in engaging students and promoting deeper learning, remains underused globally. These instructional practices involve creating challenging tasks, encouraging open-ended reasoning, and helping students actively construct knowledge.
A recent study led by Bellibaş from the Department of Public Policy at the University of Sharjah analyzed data from the OECD's Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018, which included information from 48 countries and economies. The research used multilevel modeling to examine factors influencing the adoption of cognitive activation strategies among teachers.
The study found that teacher collaboration is a significant factor in predicting the use of cognitively activating teaching methods. This relationship held even after accounting for differences in teacher backgrounds and school environments. According to Bellibaş et al., "Such collective endeavors, through positive interactions, could promote innovative teaching strategies and foster their motivation to transform classroom instruction."
Additionally, the research identified that collective teacher innovativeness—defined as a group's openness to new ideas and willingness to try new approaches—strengthens the effect of collaboration on innovative teaching practices. In schools with high levels of innovativeness, collaboration had an even greater impact on adopting these strategies.
Other elements such as school size, geographic location, and socio-economic composition were also found to influence how often cognitively activating practices are used. The researchers noted that these factors raise concerns about equity in access to effective teaching methods.
The findings highlight the need not only for increased teacher collaboration but also for cultivating an environment where innovation is encouraged within schools. Bellibaş et al. emphasized this point: "Our findings underscore that simply encouraging collaboration is not enough; we must also actively cultivate an innovative school climate where teachers feel empowered to experiment with new ideas, ultimately leading to a more equitable and widespread adoption of high-impact teaching strategies worldwide."
