Abstract:

The research study describes the process of the conducted qualitative research and presents its results. The aim of the research was to identify, analyse, explain and understand the interpretations of primary school teachers in the Slovak Republic about teacher cognition and pupil autonomy in teaching and learning. The relationships between the interpreted constructs (phenomena) influencing the formation of teacher cognition and the autonomy of the pupil were thematically and methodologically examined through interviews. Daily routines - practical action in teaching and learning were also studied in order to reveal and, together with research subjects, derive relationships between teacher cognition and the pupil's autonomy. Therefore, in the design of qualitative research of a phenomenological nature, the methods of in-depth and phenomenographic interview, direct and indirect observation and the strategy of applying the constant comparative method (CCM) were used to obtain and interpret the research material. The results of the research show that the influence of teacher cognition on pupil autonomy in teaching and learning is conditioned by attributing significance to the dominant discourse on teaching and learning and the level of reflective competencies of teachers. The results of the research also show that the development of teachers' professional competencies can and should be implemented through teacher and action research.

Keywords:

Teacher cognition, autonomy, pupil, social constructionism, qualitative methodology.