Ikaskom: a dialogic teachers’ professional development network enhancing school violence prevention: key insights from the communicative methodology

Abstract

School violence represents a global concern, adversely affecting the quality of education and the physical and mental well-being of children and adolescents, often leading to enduring consequences. Extensive literature underscores the pivotal role of professional development in addressing this issue. While research on professional development initiatives targeting school violence is extensive, scientific literature also emphasises the need to identify more professional development networks and interventions for tackling this problem effectively. Building on existing knowledge on Dialogic Professional Development and school violence prevention, this research investigates a network called Ikaskom of teacher professional development. This study aims to explore the impact of participating in Ikaskom on teachers’ professional development trajectories, as well as its role in improving student relationships and reducing violence in schools. Drawing on Communicative Methodology, 14 interviews with teachers were conducted, along with three focus groups with students. Findings reveal that both the interviewed teachers and the students perceive that the professional development provided by Ikaskom promotes improved student relationships and a decrease in school violence. The implications of these findings for professional development and for cultivating safe school environments are further explored.