Dr Phyllis Jones (University of South Florida), Insider Perspectives: Research dilemmas and contributions to inclusive teacher education

Abstract: For scholars and educators involved in teacher education, the importance of listening and responding to insider perspectives is enormous and can offer a depth not obtained elsewhere. It makes sense to listen to the stories of those actually involved in schools who can offer teacher educators a real-life insight into a phenomenon. In teacher education, there has been a dearth of research examining the role of insider perspectives in the initial and continued learning of teachers who teach students with disabilities. In order to appreciate life in the classroom, the perspectives of students, families, teachers, school leaders, pre-service teachers and teacher educators are invaluable. As we listen to the lived experiences of inclusion and exclusion, we gain additional insights into the enactment of inclusive education. However, the gathering and analysis of insider perspectives must be problematized in order to appreciate potential research dilemmas. This session discusses the role and nature of gathering insider perspectives and how teacher educators should afford these perspectives a high status in inclusive teacher/professional learning opportunities.

Dr. Phyllis Jones is an associate professor in the department of Teaching & Learning at the University of South Florida. Phyllis taught and was a deputy head in schools in the UK for fifteen years before she entered teacher education.  She developed and teaches on the masters ASD and/or Severe Intellectual Disabilities program and Curriculum and Instruction doctoral program in the department. She is author of Inclusion in the Early Years: Stories of good practice, co author of Collaborate Smart and lead editor of “A Pig Don't Get Fatter the More You Weigh It": Balancing assessment for the classroom, Leading for Inclusion, Creating Meaningful Inquiry in the Inclusive Classroom, Pushing the Boundaries: Developing Inclusive Practices through Integration of Insider Perspectives and co editor of The Routledge Companion to Severe, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. Phyllis is published widely in international journals related to inclusive practices across all schools, teacher education for teachers of students with severe intellectual disabilities and/or ASD. She is editor of International Journal of Whole Schooling, sits of the editorial board of Disability & Society and is a regular reviewer for British Journal of Special Education, Journal of Child and Family Studies, International Journal of Inclusive Education, Journal of Teacher Education and International Review of Education.