arXiv subjects

Hamideh Talafian

Publications and source records attributed to Hamideh Talafian.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Teacher Leader Identity Development in a Physics Teaching Community of Practice: A Narrative Case Study

This longitudinal narrative case study examines the leadership identity development of Kayla, a female high school physics teacher, across five years of participation in a community of practice (CoP). Drawing on multiple data sources, we trace how her participation evolved from classroom-level practice to broader institutional influence. Four interconnected dimensions of leadership identity development were identified: personal, social, practice, and institutional culture change. Findings show how CoP membership provided collective legitimacy and relational support that enabled Kayla to move beyond identity negotiation toward transformation , successfully advocating for an AP Physics course and increasing female student participation. This study contributes to teacher professional learning literature by demonstrating the value of an identity lens for understanding teacher leadership as a gradual, socially enabled process. The longitudinal design reveals transformative conditions that cross-sectional studies often obscure, highlighting narrative case study as a productive methodology for capturing teacher leadership identity development over time.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2024

Teachers' Experiences with Implementing Open-ended Labs in High School Physics Classe

Although most teachers acknowledge the importance of taking investigative approached in students' science learning experiences, implementing them in high-school classes can be challenging for teachers. In this work, we analyzed data from multiple sources from a teaching Community of Practice (CoP) to investigate (a) barriers to using open-ended labs in physics classes, (b) shifts in teachers' beliefs about the use of open-ended labs in their classes during teachers' engagement in a physics teacher CoP in a partnership program, and (c) a case study of one teachers whose shifts in perceptions about open-ended labs led to her successful implementation of an open-ended lab in her class. The findings confirm the existence of well-known psychological and structural barriers that can prevent teachers from adopting investigative approaches in teaching physics labs. Moreover, we learned how the interaction of these barriers further complicates the adoption of open-ended approaches in physics classes. The study also revealed a significant gap between teachers' current practices and their desired method for conducting labs, particularly in terms of structured versus open-ended approaches. The case study offered deeper insights into how shifts in teaching practices occur through changes in perceptions within a supportive CoP.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2023

Navigating Socio-Emotional Risk through Comfort-Building in a Physics Teaching Community of Practice: A Case Study

In teacher professional development (PD), grouping teachers with varying levels of experience can be a productive and empowering way to stimulate the exchange and co-generation of content and pedagogical knowledge. However, less experienced teachers can face socio-emotional risks when engaging in collaborative science content reasoning tasks with more experienced colleagues (Finkelstein, Jaber, & Dini, 2018), and these risks may impact the collaborative experience of both parties and the learning environment in teacher PD. This descriptive case study examines the process of productively navigating socio-emotional risks and interpersonal tensions encountered by a veteran and pre-service physics teacher during one episode of discussing physics content. We use a single term, comfort-building, to encapsulate discursive moves that result in increased feelings of comfort and safety by the participants. Comfort-building includes moves that serve to mitigate social risk, ease tension, and avoid discomfort, as well as those geared toward finding common ground and co-navigating challenges. These moves can carve out conversational space for teachers to more confidently face risks associated with being accountable to the physics content knowledge and engage in discipline-based conversations more deeply. The presented episode in this study was followed by video-stimulated individual interviews to determine how consciously the teachers connected their participation to explicit risk and comfort. This case study highlights an affective dimension for consideration in the continued study and facilitation of science teaching communities of practice, especially ones that bring together teachers with a variety of backgrounds and skill sets.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2023

Responsive Professional Development: A Facilitation Approach for Teachers' Development in a Physics Teaching Community of Practice

Creating learning environments that can accommodate teachers' diverse needs is challenging because responsive elements are not clearly defined or identified. This study identified responsive teacher professional development (PD) elements by taking a phenomenological approach. Using surveys and interviews with 13 high school physics teachers in a PD program at a Midwestern university, we identified responsive features such as practicality, flexibility, and accessibility core to the enactment of a responsive PD. Other features were opportunities for community engagement, pedagogical support, and professional growth, which were aligned with the benefits of engagement in a Community of Practice model incorporated in this work.

physics.ed-ph↗